Gemini
by SilverLily aka Blood Moon
Summary: Shadii made a mistake in sending Yami back to be the ruler of the ancient world. Now, with no light in sight and in the midst of an uprising, there is no hope in sight.
1. Landslide

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Gemini

Summary: Shadii made a mistake in sending Yami back to be the ruler of the ancient world. Now, all of Egypt is in the midst of an uprising, their blood-lust targeted at the pharaoh himself. No light to balance the wielder of the Shadows, there is no hope in sight. 

Warnings: Shounen-ai, slight yaoi, and possibly some graphic material. Tread with caution, and watch out for younger audiences that _just_ might be in the room at the moment. 

*************

"Knock, knock, knock. . ." Sugoroku tried rapping on his grandson's door for the thousandth time that week. As usual, there was only silence that answered his call. Not a comfortable silence, either. No, this was a dead silence, that which one would receive tapping on the gravestone of the deceased. 

Dead. That's what Yuugi was. An empty shell lying and taking up space. Was he even breathing anymore? Did he think, feel, or even crave nourishment? When was the last time he had any water? 

Everything he had done before, he had done with his yami. Every laugh, every dream, and wish and hope and desire, if his yami didn't fulfill it for him they would pull through it together. How could they not? They shared a consciousness for goodness sake! 

But they were more. Lovers. Partners. Soul mates. If one was lost, the other would never recover. 

Summoning his remaining strength, the aged man pushed open the door to the empty, quiet room. 

The sight that greeted him broke his heart and scarred him at the same time. Yuugi, his sweet, bright grandson, was lying the same position he had been in the night before, head on its side on his pillow, facing the door. His once gleaming violet eyes were now an empty plum, blood shot and wide open, starring at absolutely nothing. 

He was still wearing the same school uniform that was on the day that Yami left, shoes untied but still on. His bed was crumpled and strewn, but he didn't even seem to notice. 

His face was sunken and pale, hair limp and dull. 

He looked like a corpse. 

"Yuugi," his worried grandfather tried. As expected, no response. His eyes didn't even seem to register the room's new occupant. Not even a flinch of the skin. 

Dead. 

"Yuugi, please. You need to get up. I know that this is hard for you, I know what it's like to lose a love. But you have to pull through." 

Nothing. 

Sugoroku sighed, sitting next to his non-responsive grandchild. "Yuugi, please. You haven't eaten anything in three days, you haven't bathed, have you even had any water? Gotten up to go to the bathroom lately? Yuugi. . ." right now, of all times, his voice seemed to want to leave him, cracking with a sickening panic. "Yuugi, you're scarring me." 

Dead silence. 

Something wet fell down the old man's aged face. After all this time, a tear finally fell. 

Three days. All in three days. Not very long ago already felt like another life-time. Another universe all together. 

Yuugi was now lost to all. The only one that could save him was his darkness, and Yuugi's darkness died five-thousand years ago. 

Five-thousand years was separating the two, and Yuugi didn't even have the puzzle to open up a portal to return to the only one that held his life and sanity in the very palm of his dusky-skinned hands. 

Yuugi didn't hear his grandfather walk in. He didn't even hear him talk. All that kept happening to him was the constant replay of the day that his life left him. 

Shadii had come to them one fateful afternoon while the two were basking in the sunlight in the city park. It had been two years since Battle City, and it appeared that all things had been resolved. 

They couldn't have been more wrong. 

Shadii had began to explain to them that if Yami did not return to complete his rule, the ancient world would be thrown into complete pandemonium, and Yami was the only one that could stop it. 

As always. 

Yuugi had become viciously jealous after-words that Ryou and Malik didn't have to lose _their_ yamis. No, only he did. It was at that moment when he wished that it wasn't them that was always the savior of the earth. As far as he was concerned, the planet could suck his dick and drown in flames, so long as he didn't have to be separated from the one person that knew him inside and out. The one that he had scoured every corridor of their soul, knew _them_ inside and out and all of their secrets. 

__

Yami. . .

All gone. 

Shadii had immediately taken them back to Egypt, to where they had uncovered Yami's tomb. 

What creeped both of them out, was the fact that there was a body inside. Yami's old body. It hadn't turned completely to dust like some of the older pharaohs. 

Yuugi was forced to put the puzzle on the mummy, and Yami disappeared with it. Shadii said that Yami's soul was going back in the years by a way of regression through his body. The puzzle went with him because, as it was said, that there was only one puzzle throughout the years, and it went with Yami. 

Shadii had said that if someone had found the ability to simply go back one day, or even two, and leave the puzzle in the present time, when they went back to look for the puzzle where it had been the previous day, it would not be there. It would only be in the present time. 

So basically, the puzzle was lost to him five-thousand years in the waiting. He would never see it again. Not even if he looked and waited. Someone would have to transport it through the years. 

And right now, only Yami could do that. 

And Yuugi, of course, couldn't go with his yami. It was simply forbidden. 

Yuugi's grandfather wasn't the only one worried about the seventeen year old. More than his friends that couldn't make it through to him, either. 

The shadows were almost frantic. 

Yuugi had been the light and the balance to the pharaoh, the wielder of the darkness. Yuugi kept his sanity in tact as well. Without Yuugi, Yami would not have been sane, and therefore not able to control the shadows, the shadow realm, or the monsters within. 

And Yami was their favorite son. 

Yuugi's welfare was, aside from Yami, their number one priority. And Yuugi was now even beyond the reach of the shadows, and the monsters as well. 

Mahaado, the Dark Magician, was as sick with worry as Sugoroku. Though he couldn't exactly voice it. 

Three days. Three days of hell. Three days of depression and grief and despondence. He wanted to die. He wanted to wither away and never see the world again. Everything reminded him of Yami, and every memory of Yami would make him replay that time three days ago when his yami left him. 

"_I **hate** you, Shadii," _Yuugi hissed, to low for mortals to hear, but the shadows sure did. 

********************

Yugioh sighed again, angered and exasperated all at the same time. His high preist, Seth, was not giving him the good news that he wanted. 

"What do you mean, Egypt is angry? That they're questioning their _God_? I closed the shadow-realm, did I not? What more do they want?!" 

Seth sighed, running a hand through his frayed hair. "Sire, the news on the streets is they want a ruler that is kinder. They say that they're tired of your anger, your outbursts, and your iron fist. Some have said that they'd rather be eaten by Duel Monsters than have to live with your laws any longer." 

"Bullshit. Mortals do not question their gods. If they even try, they won't be able to overthrow me. It has **never** been done in our history. I'm not about to let it start." 

Seth repositioned his silk purple robes. He knew that it was going to be hard to get this through the stubborn-ruler's head, but he never thought _this_ hard. 

Two hours of debating. Two long hours of explanations and rebuttals and flat-out refusals. 

"My pharaoh, they have sworn to get rid of your icy heart." 

"Ice is harder than gold, it will not bend under the weight of ruling the greatest power in the world." Crimson eyes bored down on him, daring him to disagree. 

"Yes, pharaoh, it is harder. But when gold breaks, it bends in two. When ice breaks, it shatters. The same will be with you, when your limit is reached." 

"Gods have _no _limits." 

Seth began rubbing his temples. "And what will you do if they _do_ rise up against you? How will you deal with it?" 

Yugioh didn't not answer. He felt that he didn't need to, and he didn't want to. 

Ever since the pharaoh's return to his body, he had been cold and vindictive. There wasn't a soul that could get through to him, and not one that could reason with him. The embodiment of Set himself, some had said, instead of being Re-Atum like he was supposed to be.

"Gods help us," Seth whispered. 

Yugioh, as of yet, had not divulged to anybody yet that he still had access to the shadows through his puzzle, and he did not plan on telling anybody until it was truly necessary. 

Seth got up from his chair and walked out of the conference room, intent on getting some fresh air. 

Opening the door, Yugioh heard him gasp in horror. "Gods help us," he croaked. 

The pharaoh walked up behind his preist to see the stairs that led up to the palace, visible through the open colonnades, covered with what looked like all of Thebes at his doorstep. 

No, it was more than that. Yugioh recognized the designs of the different tools. Scythes and pitchforks, hoes and swords and clubs. . .Cairo, Thebes, lower villages, Upper and Lower Egypt together must be hear to get rid of their pharaoh. 

"By the gods," he breathed. Seth was right. And they were out there, screaming. Torches were burning, blades were flying, and they wanted blood. 

Yugioh's blood. 

**************

Want me to continue? Hope it was long enough. Guess that I could have made it longer. Oh well. Tell me what you think. 


	2. Return to the Past

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Gemini

************

Silence. It was always silent now. Personally, Yuugi didn't want it any other way. Happiness had been when his yami was with him. With happiness came laughter and noise and the rustle of clothes while cuddling. 

Every noise was a reminder. Every breath, every heart beat, even the noise of the blood pumping through his veins reminded him of Yami. 

For you see, Yami shared Yuugi's body, and when the magic of the puzzle gave him his own body, it took on all of the traits that Yuugi's body had. Heart rate. Blood pressure. Breath rate. Although they were separate, they were still the same, and still direly connected. 

And now he was gone. 

Why wouldn't he die yet? He was trying, really! 

Well, all right, direct suicide was not on his to-do list. He couldn't bring himself to do such an act. He could, however, easily refuse to eat anything. Or drink anything, too. 

And so he lay there, motionless. 

__

Let me die. . . _please_. . .

The aching throb in his chest only grew every day. He couldn't rid get of it. Had Shadii gone in there when he wasn't looking and literally ripped his heart in two? 

He was sick to his stomach, and it wasn't from his hunger. 

Yuugi was in a black hole, and he wasn't coming out anytime soon. 

__

Trouble. . .

Of course he felt trouble. His life was slowly, painfully slipping away from him. What else would he be feeling? 

'_Of course, that sinking feeling in my stomach doesn't feel like heartache. . .'_

Something else was wrong. 

Not like he would be much help. He'd probably be dead by the end of the week anyway. Life goes on. 

__

Must help. . .

For the first time in three days, Yuugi lifted his head from his pillow. . . .

. . . .and saw the Dark Magician starring at him. 

Dead eyes starred back at the Duel Monster come-to-life. Dead, yes, but questioning and curious. 

Then Yuugi chuckled to himself. "Hallucinations. Of all things, you'd think that I'd see my yami first." 

A very frustrated look came over the Dark Magician's face, and he lifted his staff in Yuugi's direction. 

"Oh, I get it. Death. Well, it's about time you came. Go on, get it over with." 

Without warning, the Duel Monster clunked the end of his staff on Yuugi's head, causing a soon-to-be stubborn headache to surface. 

"Itai! What was that for?" The teenager rubbed his head furiously, attempting to get rid of the sting. 

Oh, wait. . . .

The rusty gears in Yuugi's head slowly began to work. 

__

The Dark Magician was real. 

"Sugoi," he breathed. 

The Dark Magician didn't seem to be fazed by this. Instead, he seemed to be distracted with the task of summoning the teen's attention in a vain attempt to say that something was wrong. 

A strong hand grabbed hold of Yuugi's, and he was heaved off the bed. "What's going on? Where are we going?" 

The lavender eyes of the Duel Monster looked pained, and he kept looking behind him, then back to Yuugi, then behind him again. Yuugi followed the look, and saw what was unmistakably a portal to the shadow realm. 

"Dark Magician, you know that I can't go in there. My body can't handle it." 

Another look, this one quite cross. '_Yeah, now, of all times, you choose to worry about your life_. . .'

Yuugi shrugged. "Good point." So, without even looking back at his room, the ka of the pharaoh walked into swirls of darkness, no fear permeating his body this time. 

Yuugi expected a few things. The drain of his life force, perhaps, or the feel of his soul being shredded in two. 

And what he felt instead, was a warm, welcoming embrace. He felt almost loved here. 

It almost felt like Yami. 

He looked back to his most trusted monster. "The shadows like me?" An affirmative nod was his response. 

The Dark Magician motioned for Yuugi to follow him, and the two started walking. 

And walking, and walking, and walking, and. . . .

Hours it seemed had passed by. 

"Dark Magician, how much further is it? I'm tired!" 

The magician's head turned around to address its master. Although he might not be able to talk, he sure was able to snort. 

Yuugi crossed his arms and pouted. "Well, that's just not nice." 

Finally, the Duel Monster came to a stop, causing Yuugi to almost bump into him from his lack of attention. 

Blinking his eyes to readjust his vision, the teenager saw the black swirls of the shadow realm separate, and what looked like another world all together sat on the other side. 

In the blink of an eye, Yuugi was whisked away from the confines of the shadow realm, finding himself standing in a sea of sand. It was nighttime, the stars twinkling wildly. 

The air seemed so clean. The sky so clear. 

"Egypt?" 

A nod. 

There were noises to his right, and Yuugi looked over to find the source. As it seemed to turn out, they were standing at the edge of a city, and ancient one by the looks, and the whole city was out. Torches dotted within the crowd, glints of steel here and there. 

Tension was as thick as fog. "They're angry." 

A nod. The magician pointed his staff towards the center of the city. The palace. 

"It. . .it can't be. . ." Yuugi was too afraid to accept it. 

Yami was standing at the entrance to the palace, guards surrounding him. 

"**Yami!**"

And he was off. Through the crowds he ran until everything in front of him was a blur. He had to make it to his yami, he just _had_ to. People all around him were screaming and yelling, and he could have sworn that someone had said, 'wait you turn!' while he whizzed past. 

He paid them no heed. They didn't matter. Only his yami did. 

Suddenly he was running up steps. People were screaming at him, but he was shorter than the others. They couldn't catch him. Others didn't even seem to notice. 

Then before him was a line of dead palace guards. It seemed that the village people did their job. 

"Yami!" Nothing was standing between him and his lost darkness. 

Before he could even form coherent thought, he had launched himself at his yami, muttering and mumbling incoherent gibberish. 

"Yami, oh Yami I missed you so much! I can't believe that I'm here!" 

"Medjai!" Yami's mighty voice roared. 

Yuugi felt himself struck down where he stood. Shocked and utterly confounded, Yuugi starred back up into his yami's ruby-red eyes. What he saw surprised him. 

Shock. Fright. Confusion. 

__

He doesn't remember. . .

But Yuugi was determined. "Yami!" He wrapped himself back around Yami's waist. 

"Xry Tn", the pharaoh's deep voice rumbled. "mdW n wi!"

Yuugi looked up at him with his big round eyes, frightened at the tone he was receiving. 

__

He doesn't know me. . .

Determination. That was the key. The memories were there, of this Yuugi was certain. It was just like before, in the future. All they had to do was unlock the memories. 

Again, the pharaoh pushed him away, beginning to turn his back on Yuugi. 

Squeezing his eyes shut, Yuugi struggled to remember what little ancient Egyptian Yami had taught him. 

Darkness. . . dark . . ."KKWY!" 

The room fell silent. 

"kkwy!" Yuugi cried again. "nfr kkwy, biAw" he spoke again, and he found himself attached yet again to his yami. Tears streamed down Yuugi's face as he clung to the pharaoh's linen clothes. 

"Xry Tn", the pharaoh tried again, more gently this time. 

Yuugi looked up, not understanding a word of what Yami said. 

__

Tell him who you are, his thoughts told him. 

Yuugi grabbed hold of one of the pharaoh's hands and held it to his chest. "Yuugi," he said clearly. Yami's ruby eyes looked at him curiously. 

He moved the hand to the pharaoh's chest. "pr-aA," he said. At this, Yami looked slightly relieved. At least the boy knew who the pharaoh was. 

He moved the pharaoh's hand back to his own chest. "Ka," he breathed. He moved the hand back to the pharaoh. "Ba." 

Clasping their two hands together, Yuugi used his spare to hold them together, slightly shaking it for emphasis. "Akh." He grinned. 

Crimson eyes widened considerable, the whole room, the crowd at the front, the blood-hungry villagers and the remaining guards. 

Silence. All-too familiar silence. 

Someone from the crowd screamed something, and the whole earth seemed to shatter.

*************

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	3. Powers of Allegience

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Gemini

Yugioh stood protected by the palace guards, not daring to believe that almost the whole country had showed up to destroy him. Every single one. 

__

'They've sworn to get rid of your icy heart'. . .Seth's words rung through his head. 

It wasn't fair. Why did he always have to feel so empty? He didn't hold a single memory of someone standing firmly beside him, supporting _him_ in whatever he did. From the moment he woke up, feeling an endless void swirling around in the pit of his stomach and a sinking feeling in his heart, all he received were sneers and cross looks and people trying to control him. 

And it's not like he was biased with anything. He simply hated everything. The whole world looked like a bleak existence and he wanted no part of it. 

Arrogant? No, he was too powerful to be arrogant. That's what intimidated a lot of his country. Even though he appeared to have lost all of his powers from the games, he was no less fierce, no less frightening, and no less powerful. 

Geniuses tend to be that way sometimes. Whatever game or challenge he set up, there wasn't one that could stand up against him. Neighboring countries were falling at his feet, begging for mercy, for their children to be spared. 

Scum. 

He could see the shivers that went down everyone's spine when he laughed as some of the most powerful people in the world, emperors and kings and famous merchants, on their knees and shivering at the foot of his throne. 

The dirt beneath his feet. 

The only time when he ahd been at all worried was the night when Egypt rose against their god. Yes, he had his shadow powers, but what good would it do to destroy the whole of his people? Besides, he was only one person, could he? 

Another of his guards screamed as he was struck down by a scythe. 

There was no hope. 

"Yami!" 

Out of the crowd a young man ran out, pushing people out of his way. He was shorter than most, proving to be a struggle for the other blood-hungry Egyptians to capture. 

The next thing Yugioh knew, there was a young man attached around his waist. The unknown boy started muttering in a language never before heard by Yugioh. The pharaoh's first instinct was to get rid of him. "Medjai!" One of the guards left turned around and saw the problem, striking down the boy where he stood. 

'_How did he get past the defenses of the puzzle_' the pharaoh thought. Was this boy intent on hurting him? Yugioh looked back at the boy now on the floor. Big violet eyes looked up at him, looking. . .hurt? 

The boy was hurt? 

Then the shock came. The boy looked remarkably like him. Hair, face, stature. He was paler though, much paler. Yugioh had never seen someone so pale before. The boy's hair was slightly limp and dull, and his face looked a little stretched. '_Probably hasn't eaten in days._' 

In an instant the boy was back around his waist. "Yami!" Now Yugioh was beginning to get annoyed. "Who are you?" he questioned. "Speak to me!" 

The boy didn't answer. Such an odd language he was speaking. '_Must not be sane. Does he even speak Egyptian? He could be a threat!_' 

The pharaoh pushed off the arms again, intent on walking away. This boy didn't even know who he was trying to talk to. 

"DARKNESS!" The boy's voice rang through the boisterous area. So he did speak Egyptian. 

The pharaoh turned back around, and found yet again the boy attached to him, sobbing madly. "Beautiful darkness, mine," he choked. 

__

'Beautiful darkness?' 

"Who are you," Yugioh tried again, a bit more gently this time. The boy was beautiful, after all. The pharaoh was intrigued to see the boy take one of his hands in his own, bringing it to the boy's chest. "Yuugi," he said clearly. 

Good, so he did have a name. The hand came over to Yugioh. "Pharaoh," he said. 

__

'He does know who I am! He does!' This was a slight relief. He knew who the pharaoh was. '_Brave child_.'

Yugioh's hand was put back on the boy's chest. "Ka," he said. The hand came over to the pharaoh. "Ba." 

__

'What is this young man getting at?' 

The boy clasped their hands together, intertwining their fingers. His spare hand held the two together, giving a gentle shake for emphasis. "Akh," he grinned. A genuine, happy grin. Had Yugioh ever been on the receiving end of a look that could make the whole world so much brighter? 

__

'He's saying that we're part of the same soul. That he's my other half. . .my light. . . mine?' The pharaoh's heart felt like it was going to explode with a million different emotions. Shock, joy, confusion, skepticism, amazement. 

The boy was lovely to look at. Simply beautiful. All his? 

__

'And to say all of this in the midst of an uprising.'

"Enough of this!" a burly villager roared. "We want blood!" The whole earth seemed to shatter. 

Yuugi looked back up at the pharaoh, eyes pleading, tugging on the puzzle. "Yami. . .onegai! Onegai!" 

"What?" What could the boy mean?

"Onegai!" he pleaded again, tugging on the puzzle more. 

__

'He wants to put the puzzle on?' Every instinct was screaming at him that it was a prank, and that he shouldn't do such a heinous act. 

The shadows, however, in the back of his mind were screaming in agreement with the boy. 

With shaking hands, he lifted the golden chain that puzzle was attached to and began to slip it over Yuugi's head. Some of the villagers saw this, gasping in shock. 

The moment it was fully on, golden light spilled forth from the puzzle, and the boy's eyes became a blank white. Turing around, he kept his body in front of the pharaoh, starring down the weapons heading their way. 

They never came. 

Inches before them the metal melted into nothingness. 

A strong voice rang out over the thousands of people heading their way. "Calm yourselves, people of Egypt. Tell me why you attack your pharaoh." 

Multiple people began to scream at once. "My children are in slavery because of him!" 

"He killed my husband!" 

"Our village was burned and pillaged!"

"I'm not free to sell my breads!" 

Soon, it was impossible to discern one complaint from another. Yuugi, however, seemed to be listening intently to what all of them were saying. 

__

'He's using the puzzle to understand us, to speak our language,' Yugioh thought. 

"Silence," Yuugi's voice boomed again, lips not moving. When he began to speak again, every face was attentive and listening with rapture. "I understand your problems, and they deeply trouble me. Your pharaoh, however, has been through a cruel act that none should have to endure. In his closing of the shadow realm, his soul was ripped violently in half, one part being lost throughout the years. Upon his return, your ruler was only half of a soul, the darkest half. Such a feeling is a pain that you couldn't possibly imagine. I beg of you, for me, don't hurt him." 

Silence again. Slight shuffling in the back, then someone emerged. A woman, a housewife by the looks, stern with a mothering look. "Why should we put up with an incomplete _man_ to rule us? Without the Akh, he is no god. Why should we not be rid of him, and find one more suitable to rule?" An affirmative roar from the crowd backed her up. 

"Because if you destroy him, you will destroy me, the light of your kingdom," was the solemn reply, Yuugi holding the puzzle in his hands to emphasize his position. This statement in itself seemed to sway the crowd. Their kingdom had a light? A treasure above treasures? And what was more. . .

"Our kingdom," a young voice croaked. A boy of about thirteen, if Yugioh wasn't mistaken. 

"Yes, your kingdom." 

It had always been the pharaoh's kingdom. Never the peoples. And this boy was saying that he was a part of the pharaoh, speaking as if _he_ could make the difference that so many others had utterly failed at. 

The pharaoh had given him the puzzle. Yugioh had **never** done something even remotely like that. The similarities. . . the powers radiating from them both. . .the golden glow from the puzzle around the boy and his amplified voice. . .a god. . .he was a god. 

Or rather, half a god.

Without warning, the golden glow that had surrounded Yuugi disappeared, and he collapsed where he stood, energy drained. The pharaoh ran to his side, falling to his knees and holding the limp body in his arms. 

The boy felt so light, as if his bones were as hollow as a bird's. He was wearing odd clothing, leather in its feel, wrapped tightly around his legs and chest. 

__

'No one in Egypt wears breaches,' the pharaoh thought. Where had this boy come from? '_From the gods,_' he thought. Just for him. 

The sight of the mighty ruler, Yugioh, pharaoh of Egypt, cruel, cold, _evil_. . .on his knees and cradling a helpless body in his arms. Humility in its purist form. 

The woman that had questioned Yuugi walked up gingerly, setting down her pitchfork and falling to her knees, looking Yugioh straight in the eye. Pity seemed most prominent, but also a burning passion that the pharaoh had never seen before. 

"You have my allegiance, Twin Pharaohs of Egypt." 

The burly villager that had shouted for blood in the beginning followed suit, setting his sword down next to him. "You have my allegiance, Twin Pharaohs of Egypt." He too, had the passion burning up his eyes.

Next was that young boy, scythe now lying beside him as he knelt. "You have my allegiance, Twin Pharaohs of Egypt." 

Person after person after person knelt and recited that one phrase. Word was spreading quickly throughout the crowd of thousands, heads becoming lowered, and a low hum from the pledge ringing through the massive colonnades. 

A voice in the back of Yugioh's head chimed in; '_Have you ever seen a country where the people have pledged themselves and been completely behind their leader?_' 

Never, in history, had something such as this occurred. 

__

'Yuugi,' the gods _must_ have sent him to the pharaoh. How could he have calmed the blood-lust of so many? Controlled the puzzle? Had the support of the shadows? _Lost through the years_, Yuugi had said. How had he found his way back? 

__

'Mine,' was the one word ringing through the pharaoh's head with a vengeance. '_All mine.'_

**************

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	4. To Be Lost and Belong

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Gemini

Yugioh walked gracefully down the halls of the palace, a limp body draped regally in his arms. It was late now, most of the villagers gone home, or with the healers. Many of his guards, too, were having their wounds tended to. One thing was for certain, the Egyptians were ruthless in a fight. 

Some of the more cautious guards, like the ones that wanted the favor of their pharaoh, stood watch down the halls, making sure that everything else was in order. That is, of course, as far as order could go for that evening. 

Curious eyes followed the ruler as he made his way down the hall. Some fell on Yugioh himself, and his obvious attentiveness towards this strange boy that seemed to have fallen from a different world right into their laps. Others were looking at the boy.

In all respects, the boy who had called himself Yuugi was beautiful to behold. Pale skin did not exist in Egypt, nor his overtly-petite frame and cherubic face. 

What worried the pharaoh was just how ashen the boy looked, just how _light_ he felt. 

'_Could the journey from wherever it was he came from be that long? Where had he come from? How did he know that he would be so needed here? Is he really my ka? Did I really lose half of my soul? Whoever he is, I'll take care of him. I don't really care where he came from, he's mine. His smiles are for me now._' 

Perhaps he was being a bit greedy, but the boy had run up to him, of all people. The boy had controlled the puzzle, of all objects. And he had also smiled at the pharaoh, something none other had done, and claimed his own ownership over the Morning Star of Egypt. 

__

Beautiful darkness, mine. . . 

He seemed to know so little words. Beautiful, darkness, mine. . .pharaoh. . . 

'_It's like he's known me for so long now. If I truly am his Ba, his darkness, these seem like words that a lover would translate. . . or a soul mate. . ._' 

In the morning, the pharaoh promised, he would try to learn more. Of this he was certain. 

"My Lord! Wait!" 

Yugioh stopped abruptly and turned around, glaring at whoever it was that had interrupted his pondering. 

"What," he snapped. 

It was a guard. He stuttered for a moment, eyes falling from Yugioh to the boy in his arms. Instinctively, the pharaoh held him tighter, his entire stance and aura screaming '_MINE!_' 

"W-we just wanted to let you know that there would be extra security placed around your room tonight." He paused for a moment. "Is the ah. . .light. . .staying with you this evening my Lord?" 

Crimson eyes became murderous, and the poor guard was immediately sorry for asking anything. "_Where else would he be_," Yugioh hissed. 

The guard's face paled. "Forgive me, Pharaoh, we were not sure if another room should be prepared." 

"No," was the abrupt answer. Yugioh's blood was boiling. The very thought that he would place the boy in a different room made him feel almost sick. Yuugi was _his_. Why would he place something that belonged to him in another area? Where he could not readily reach it? Absolutely preposterous. 

"Leave me." The pharaoh's voice sounded deadly. 

With a hasty bow the guard was gone, and Yugioh was stalking off to his room again. 

The oaken doors of the royal chambers creaked open in greeting, and the pharaoh walked in quietly, gently laying the fragile body on the large, feather stuffed bed. Curiously, he studied the face of the boy for a while, wiping away some of the dirt staining his delicate face. 

'_It looks like tear stains running down his cheeks, as if he had never bothered to wipe them away. What could have possible made him so sad? Is that why he looks so starved? Refusal of food? Just **what** has he gone through?_' 

Again, another thing to find out in the morning, when the boy woke up, and had enough energy replenished to divulge some more information. 

Kissing Yuugi's forehead sweetly, Yugioh climbed into bed himself, pulling the covers on top of both of them. He knew that he was acting out of character with this boy, but in all actuality, he really didn't care. 

'_I wander what Seth will think of you, pretty one. He just might very well be jealous,_' was the last thought that the pharaoh had, quite smugly, as he drifted off to sleep. 

*******************

Sugoroku made his way up the stairs of his home, intent of checking on his grandson again. He had made a pact with himself this time that, no matter what, he would get Yuugi up, get him moving, and get some food into his system. Even if he had to throw Yuugi in the back of the car and drive him to the hospital due to malnutrition. 

'_Please, let him be alive_.' 

Out of habit, the old man knocked on the door. "Yuugi, are you up at all?" Slowly, he turned the knob and opened to door. 

Sugoroku's heart almost stopped. Yuugi wasn't in his bed. He wasn't at his desk, he wasn't in his closet, and he wasn't on the floor. 

__

The bathroom, he must be in the bathroom. 

And so he ran down the hall, pushing the door open. Yuugi wasn't at the toilet, he wasn't at the sink, and he wasn't in the shower.

__

My room? To the end of the house he ran. Yuugi wasn't on his grandfather's bed, crying his eyes out. He wasn't at the window, looking at the birds go by, he didn't seem to be anywhere. 

Frantically, Sugoroku searched the whole house, up and down and in every corner. 

Nothing. 

He called Jonouchi, who hadn't seen him. He called Honda and Anzu and they hadn't seen him. Next he called the police, who said that he couldn't file a missing person report until the person had been missing for a full twenty-four hours. 

This, of course, made him furious. What if Yuugi was dead by then? He was so weak, he hadn't eaten anything in days! 

He ran outside, looking around the yard. 

Nothing. 

"Mr. Motou?"

The frazzled old man turned around at the sound of a curious voice, and saw none other than Ryou Bakura starring at him.   
  
"Mr. Motou, what's wrong?"

"Ryou, right?" A nod. "Have you seen my grandson, Yuugi? He-he's missing. I'm really worried about him." 

Ryou smiled good-naturedly. "Oh, don't worry about him. His yami will make sure he's all right." 

"You didn't hear?" 

Ryou frowned slightly. "Hear what?" 

"Shadii sent Yami back to ancient Egypt, and Yuugi went into a depression." The aged man's purple eyes looked so forlorn and empty. 

"W-what?! When?" 

"Four days ago." 

A gold flash of light blinded their vision momentarily, and in an instant Ryou's yami was standing next to him. He himself had changed a lot after Battle City, greatly surprising Yuugi and his friends. "I never did like that Shadii person, myself. But he split them up? Does he want the pharaoh to completely destroy our history? The pharaoh-no-Baka will go nuts!" 

"It sounds like Yuugi's already on his way there," Ryou deduced. 

"And I can't find Yuugi anywhere. I fear that he's suicidal. He won't eat anything, he won't get up and go to the bathroom or take a shower. He looked so dead last I saw him, and that was last night before I went to bed. And now he's gone." 

"Where could he have gone?" Ryou's yami asked. 

"The only place he'd want to go is with his yami. Otherwise, I don't know." 

*****************

*Yawns* Hmm. . .so tired. Must go and update other stories. . . .*snores* 


	5. Waking Day

****

Gemini

Morning sunlight streamed in through the open balcony, waking the sleeping occupant on the bed. Yugioh groaned, squinting his eyes in denial. King or no king, he hated mornings. 

Soft breaths raining down his chest captured his attention, and his first instinct was to throttle whoever it was that had decided to be near him. Snapping his eyes open, he moved his hands to make like he was going to strangle, and he had every intention of doing so. 

A soft cherubic face flushed with sleep bombarded his vision. Instantly his heart seemed to melt, his hands dropping back down to his sides. So very, very beautiful this boy was. 

'_How does he have such an affect on me? I know so little about him, but one look and all previous thoughts leave me._' 

Sighing in blissful confusion, the pharaoh ran his fingers across the smooth skin of the boy's face. 

'_He looks so happy in his sleep_.' 

He needed to get up lest another uprising spring against him again. It appeared that using the puzzle the previous night to interpret what the natives had been telling him sucked a lot of energy, leaving him drained and exauhsted. Sighing regretfully, Yugioh sat up, causing the covers to fall in his wake. He yawned, stretched, and sat stubbornly where he was. For the love of Ra, how he didn't want to move. 

Yuugi stirred at the loss of warmth, his violet eyes blinking open groggily. His eyes landed on the pharaoh, and he smiled. 

'_This smile is meant for me,_' Yugioh thought with a mixture of happiness, smugness, and possessiveness. 

"Yami," the young man yawned, rolling over onto his back from his side. The pharaoh frowned, gently capturing Yuugi's chin with his right hand. His eyes looked at the one beneath him questioningly. "Yami?" What did it mean? Why did the boy keep calling him that? 

The morning star saw the comprehension dawning on the young man's face, his violet eyes moving slightly as he thought of the translation. Sitting up, he took the pharaoh's hands in his own, opening them up as if he were going to give them presents. He placed one of his hands on Yugioh's right hand. "Yami," he said clearly. He moved his hand over to the left one. "Darkness," he pronounced with a slight accent. "Darkness," he said again, then moved his hand over to the right one again. "Yami." He looked up to see if Yugioh understood. 

'_Now it makes sense. Yami. Darkness. They mean the same thing. That's what he's been calling me all this time. It's no wonder he said 'beautiful darkness, mine,' last night._' 

Yugioh opened up Yuugi's hands in a similar fashion, placing his own hand in Yuugi's right. "Light," he said, moving his hand over to the left one. He looked at Yuugi questioningly. 

Yuugi smiled. "Hikari," he explained. The pharaoh nodded. "Hikari," he repeated. 

Well, at least they were making some progress. 

Yugioh was about to ask something else, when suddenly his stomach had other plans. Yuugi looked at him and giggled. "Hmm, hungry," the pharaoh grunted. 

Getting up, the morning star noticed, quite pleased, that his breakfast was exactly where it was supposed to be. Right next to his bed. Yuugi's eyes followed his movements as he walked around to the other side of the bed, eyes suddenly filling with want. "Tabemono!" he declared excitedly.

"Tabemono?" Yugioh asked. Yuugi pointed to the food. "Tabemono!" 

"Ah," he realized. "Food." He brought the tray of fruits, grains, and barely over to the bed. He pointed to it. "Food," he said clearly. Yuugi looked up at him, processing what he was just told. "Food," he repeated. He nodded his head. "Food." Not bothering to wait, he grabbed a dragon fruit and began to devour. Yugioh helped himself to some of the oatmeal that was made available, complete with cream and honey. 

Normally, the pharaoh never finished all of his food. In fact, most of the time, there were enough leftovers to serve three more people. 

Yuugi, on the other hand, consumed every last bite that Yami hadn't touched after he was full. "When was the last time you ate," Yugioh asked somewhat incredulously, and somewhat concerned. Yuugi turned his head and looked at him, a confused look coming over his face. Shrugging, the young man turned and walked over to the water basin at one of the tables scattered about the massive room. 

Yugioh watched curiously as the boy thoroughly cleaned his face and hands, drying off with a towel. Well, it was certainly obvious that he wasn't a common citizen wherever it was that he was from. 

Those people never bathe. 

After dressing, the pharaoh was prepared to leave the room and attend to his daily routine, when he noticed something was off. 

Yuugi looked at him curiously as they stood at the door. The young man was still wearing his strange outfit from the night before. 

That had to change. He would become too hot during the day if he wore all of those clothes. What on earth was it made out of, anyway? So dark a blue, so thick? The pharaoh walked up to him, tugging at the end of the shirt the boy had on. "What is this," he asked. 

Yuugi got that concentrating look on his face again, searching his mind to see if he knew what the word was. Yugioh's actions alone let him know what the question was. 

"Leather," he said slowly, then he grinned. "Leather." He looked quite proud of himself for knowing this. 

"No," Yugioh said, shaking his head. "Too hot." He walked over to a cabinet, pulling out linen and some jewelry. Laying them across the bed, he pointed to them sternly. There wasn't going to be any argument over this. 

Though he hid it quite well, he was amused to see Yuugi crestfallen, but nodded his head in compliance. 

Yuugi stripped of his shirt and pants, revealing his pale body. 

' _He's so white! Look at him! Has he ever seen any sun at all? Perhaps he did fall from the gods, fresh and unexposed to the earth below._' Yugioh couldn't help but admit to himself just how beautiful the one before him was. '_And he's all mine_.'

Yuugi tried to wrap the linen around himself, much like it was wrapped around the pharaoh, but somehow kept managing to get himself tangled up in the confines of the linen. Laughing for the first time in ages, Yugioh offered a bit of help, enjoying the blush that had spread across Yuugi's face. 

Such an adorable little creature. 

**********************

Like? Leave a review for me? Please? Don't forget one for Yami and Yuugi, too!!!


	6. Pretty Little Doll

****

Gemini

Yugioh looked back at Yuugi before they left the room, scrutinizing his new appearance. In his opinion, absolutely stunning. White linen wrapped around his delicate waist, golden sandals and matching jewelry. Two rings, one on each hand, gold bracelets and arm bands, and a gold chain hanging loosely around the young man's waist. 

__

'He sure does look good in gold,' the pharaoh thought. 

And although he was pale, there was still a slightly healthy pink tinge to his delicate alabaster flesh. '_He'll look better after we get a few good meals in him._' 

Suddenly, he frowned, noticing that something was missing. "We'll need to take care of that, pretty one. But until then, I'll introduce you to our high preist." 

Yuugi looked at him oddly, a lost and confused look coming across his face, brows furrowed in thought. Yugioh realized that it must be frustrating not being able to understand what was said around him.

__

'Wait. . .' Yuugi still had the puzzle on. Would he use it again? It had made him extremely exauhsted, would he be able to? Maybe he needed to build up his endurance first?

Trying to focus his thoughts on the chores ahead for the day, the pharaoh steeled himself against thinking of such things until later, ushering Yuugi out the door. 

Seth was busy himself maintaining the rest of the palace until Yugioh decided to make his appearance. 

"What do you mean, _you don't know?_ I want my child back who has been working here for the past four years! Where is the pharaoh and why hasn't he done anything yet to appease his people?!" an irate woman was screeching at him. 

"Ma'am, please understand, changes don't happen over night. Things will take time, but you child will be returned to you, I assure you. Please be patient. I'm not sure where the pharaoh is at the moment, but he will be here soon." '_Probably fondling that boy that dropped in his lap last night_,' he thought somewhat bitterly. Although he had not gotten a very good look at the boy last night, much like everyone else, the whole kingdom was talking about it. The miracle sent to a sea of madness. The savior of the golden kingdom. 

Their light. 

Unfortunately, people were not very patient. 

"If you'll excuse me ma'am, I have some other duties I must attend to." Before she could launch into another verbal attack, he turned sharply and left.

"Well, there you are, Seth. I was looking for you." The voice of the pharaoh broke into his frayed thoughts as the high preist stepped into the throne room. Turning to look, Seth almost choked while in the midst of taking his steep bow to his pharaoh. 

__

'The boy, my gods the boy! They look like complete opposites! Pale skin, wide eyes, delicate frame. He looks like he'll break any minute.' 

"My lord, good morning." '_Or afternoon, whichever you prefer._' 

Yugioh nodded his head in reply, a smug grin on his face. The young man, who looked quite out of place in Egyptian garb for some reason, was standing in front of the pharaoh with dusky arms wrapped tightly around him. '_So the pharaoh has claimed his prize._' 

"Seth, I want you to meet Yuugi. Pretty, isn't he?" Yugioh brushed his fingers through Yuugi's gold bangs, gazing at the shorter one with complete admiration, like he was some breakable relic. Something odd twitched inside of Seth, and the preist wasn't even sure what to make of it. 

Yuugi's eyes became quite wide, gazing upon the purple-garbed preist. "Seto Kaiba," he breathed. 

Seth raised an eyebrow. "And what is he saying, my lord?" 

The pharaoh shrugged indifferently. "He doesn't speak our language. He could have said just about anything for all I know." 

Well, this complicated things abit. '_It's odd. He doesn't speak our language, probably doesn't know a soul here, and yet he has willingly thrust himself in the arms of the last person in the world one would want to end up with. He actually looks content in the pharaoh's tight grasp. Can he even breathe over there?_' 

"How did he speak to the crowds last night, might I inquire my liege?" 

Yugioh ran his fingers across the delicate face like a girl would a little doll, admiring the young man's utter perfection. "He used the puzzle, isn't that odd? The shadows, I believe, like him greatly." 

Seth frowned. "I thought the shadows were sealed away." '_How could he have used the puzzle and not died? It's not possible!_'

"I haven't told anyone this yet, Seth, but I will tell you. Through the puzzle, I still have a connection with the shadows. It was there when I woke up. Last night, they were screaming in the back of my mind for me to trust the boy, and to give up the puzzle to him like he seemed to have requested. And now," he looked up, crimson eyes dancing with amusement, "right now I can feel the magick of the shadows working to replenish his strength. They actually _care_ for him." 

"You can feel it?" 

Yugioh smiled. "Yes, I can. Which only solidifies the fact that he's all mine." 

Yuugi turned from his blank gaze at Seth, after realizing what it was that he was looking at, and grinned at the one holding him. "Mine," he smiled, turning and nuzzling his face into the hollow of the pharaoh's neck. 

"Odd word to know," Seth mused. He looked at the boy scrupulously. "When was the last time he had a descent meal?" He looked unusually thin and ashen, now that he looked. Even for his pale complexion. 

Yugioh ran his fingers through Yuugi's gold bangs again, brushing them into his thick tresses behind. Shimmering sunshine into stark ebony. "This morning, I think. He ate quite profusely. I'm going to make sure that he doesn't miss another meal." He looked up at Seth sternly. "Wherever I go from now on, he will be going with me. Never is he going to be out of my sight. The people see him as pharaoh as well, thus meaning we need to act as one." 

It was such an odd sight, seeing the pharaoh that he once new, the cold, vindictive, cruel ruler with mercy that would freeze moonshine, wrapped tightly around a smaller counterpart like linen to the hips. 

Was Yuugi purring? 

A twinge again. Now Seth realized what the feeling was. '_So I am jealous. Who wouldn't be? Have a cute little look-alike dropped into you lap who doesn't seem to want to be separated from you, cuddling you like an oversized kitten? Look at the affection he's receiving! Who wouldn't want that? Hn. Pharaohs get all the luck._' 

"Well, off to the war room today, yes? We do still have a battle to win." For a while now, Yugioh had planned a campaign to take over the neighboring areas that were not yet civilized. Ethiopia was the next on the list. One of the reasons that the people were not very happy. They had loved ones that were away fighting. 

And as of yet, they were about to lose the winning edge, and Yami had to come up with an idea fast that would save his troops. 

"Well, off we go then, yes?" 

Seth nodded in consent. 

****************************

Well, more up later. Hope you all still like. Will have more about the people from the present time learning what happened, too. I.e., Grandpa, Jonouchi, etc. 


	7. Fess Up

****

Gemini

The pharaoh led Yuugi into an averaged sized room, a large oval table placed directly in the middle. All over the walls pictures and writings of past victories were portrayed, trying to depict the valor of all of the pharaoh's that had used this room before for wars. Inside, many other men had already gathered, standing to greet their rulers. 

Yugioh went to the end of table and sat down, pulling Yuugi down with him to sit between his legs. He was quite pleased to hear the young man sigh contentedly, falling like a puzzle piece into the pharaoh's arms. Probably drifting off to sleep. 

One of the members of the war council looked at the pharaoh oddly. "Sire, is it all right that the _Light_ sleeps during a time like this? Won't we need his input as well?" 

Yugioh snarled. "He hasn't had a descent meal in days. The manipulation of the puzzle last night drained his energy, and if you hadn't noticed, he hasn't quite recovered yet. He will sleep until he is well again." 

The council man sighed, resuming his seat. It was going to be another one of those days. 

The pharaoh waited until everyone was seated. "Why don't we begin?" 

"Well," an aged man in purple robes began. "As you know, many of the villagers don't understand why we have to be at war in the first place." 

Yugioh sighed hard, rubbing his forehead. "The surrounding sects of our country that are uncivilized are barbarians. They eat their deceased. They eat their enemies. They've even begun to hunt humans for sport." 

The faces of most in the room were green and pale. 

"We are at war with them to stop such barbaric behavior. They have already started filtering over the borders." 

"Yes sire, we know this, but how are we going to get our troops out of the spot where they are at the moment? We have to get them home safely, and currently they are in a small valley, surrounded by hunters on every side." The man pointed to the little figures standing on a large map that was lain out on the table. On it, it showed the pharaoh's army in gold figures and where they were located, and what their form was, while obsidian showed the enemy, where they were located, and what their formation was. 

"Well, first off, we have to get a scout or a herald _in_ there to give them some inside information. There are hidden pathways that they can travel, but it must be done in small groups. The problem is, getting all of them out without them getting noticed," another man jumped in, pointing to some hidden areas that were, indeed, on the map. 

"And what about the small group over here," Yugioh asked, pointing to a small caravan that held supplies and a few dozen men. "If the others get out, they'll run. Right into them. With the amount of surrounding enemies, it will be a slaughter." He pivoted a bit in his seat, showing the other's position. Yuugi's weight pushed against his chest, giving him an actual form of comfort. 

Now, though, Yuugi sat up, quietly observing the map and figurines placed on it. He frowned thoughtfully, looking over the pieces carefully. Everyone was surprisingly silent, watching him curiously. 

Yuugi's hand moved and hovered over the little figures just outside of the valley, acting as if he was about to move them. Then suddenly, his hand shot to another area of the map that had not yet been noticed, what would equate to about three miles due north. There was another group of men there, about four dozen. With surprising speed, he moved those pieces over to the small caravan placed outside of the small valley, strategically placing them, well hidden, just outside of the secret pathways. He moved the small caravan three miles north, where the four dozen men had previously been. What was more, he seemed to have spotted other areas of escape, and a small little inlet to the valley that was surrounded by nothing else but mountains. They way he had set it up was when the troops inside of the valley made their escape, they were bound to alert the enemy. Thus, when they were split up and heading off in the different paths, when the enemy caught up with them, they would be out, and an ambush would be awaiting the enemy. 

Smiling happily, he sat back into the pharaoh's embrace, closing his eyes again and drifting off to sleep. 

Most of the council men gaped at Yuugi. Yami inwardly smiled. He knew that he would have eventually seen the other group to the south, but it would have taken him a lot longer to place them. 

His eyes glimmered as he looked up at the other members at the table. "Send word for the armies to regroup. Send in a scout that won't get caught and have them relay the plan to the ones trapped in the valley. We have a war to win." 

****************

Yugioh stood in his room, gazing down at Yuugi. The young man was looking at him curiously, arms folded neatly in front of himself. 

"You impressed a lot of people today, Yuugi." 

The boy looked up at him oddly. His look said it all. _You really expect me to understand all that?_

"Hmm, right." He folded his arms behind his back and took a couple of paces to the left, then a couple to the right. 

"Where did you come from, Yuugi? Everyone wants to know. Hell, _I_ want to know. I have people screaming at me to make them happy. I have troops that want to come home. Everyone says they want the barbarian threat to end. We go to war, people think it's pointless. I'm at my wits end!" 

Yuugi frowned. 

A knock at the door stopped the pharaoh's ranting, and he hastily opened it. "What?" was his curt answer. 

"Here, my Lord. The item you requested." A man held up a large wooden box polished smooth. 

"Good." He took the box and was about to close his door when the man interrupted. "Oh, forgive me my pharaoh, but someone was demanding redemption on their lost son." 

Yugioh roared with stress. "I can't take this anymore!" He slammed the door shut ferociously. 

Yuugi sighed on the bed. "Dare mo ka manzoku saseru no wa muri." 

The pharaoh stopped dead and looked at him oddly. "Excuse me?" 

Yuugi looked up at him and smiled. Getting up, he took the wooden box from the pharaoh and placed it on the bed, wanting Yugioh's complete attention as he wrapped him up in a hug. "Ai shite imasu." He whispered. A kiss on the cheek. "Ai shite imasu, Yami." 

These strange words comforted him, and he found himself falling into the embrace. 

"Itsu made mo tsuzukeru," he whispered again, sending small shivers down Yugioh's spine. 

Yuugi lifted his head, gazing with warm amethyst eyes at his yami. "I love you, darkness." His accent was thick with the language of his native tongue. "My darkness. Mine." He ran his hands over Yugioh's face, much like the pharaoh had done to him that morning. 

Gods, he truly was loved. And this young man was saying so in multiple languages. Suddenly, a strange thing struck the pharaoh's mind like a siren on her victim. He _owed_ Yuugi something. He needed to give something back to this strange man that was showing him so much love. So much compassion. Yuugi had not asked anything of him Nothing. 

Just the ability to save his life last night.   
  
"I love you, Yuugi." The young man's pale face exploded with a smile, and that seemed to be the only repayment that he could ever ask for.

He was amused to see a glimmer in Yuugi's eyes, an idea flashing before his mind. Opening his hands in a familiar fashion, he put his left hand in the pharaoh's right. "Ai shite imasu," he said. He moved his hand over to the left one. "I love you." 

So that's what that phrase meant. 

Yuugi started again. "Ai." He moved his hand to other one. "Love." 

"Ai means love," the pharaoh reiterated. "But wait. Love. Ai. Ai shite imasu. You say love first when you say 'I love you.' You must say things backwards. No wonder our language is so confusing for you." 

Although most of that probably didn't make much sense, Yuugi seemed to understand what Yugioh was getting at. He smiled. 

A piece of ice fell off the pharaoh's cold heart. '_This smile is for me. All for me._ _I have never had any one else smile at me so happily before._' 

"Where did you come from, love? How did you know that you were so needed here?" 

Yuugi simply hugged him back. 

*******************

Bakura stood quite angrily, taping his foot impatiently. "Well," he demanded. The girl in front of him shifted her head slightly, afraid to give any answer. "I don't have all day, damn it! Show me where the hell the pharaoh's little brat is!" 

The girl's wings ruffled slightly. She was standing firm. 

"You better have a change of heart like you name implies here. I _have_ to find the quirt before Shadii does!" 

The duel monster sighed, shaking her head. She pointed off into the darkness behind her. 

Still Bakura waited. 

A purple mass stepped forth. "Come on Mahaado, spit it out. Where is he?" 

The Dark Magician looked at him crossly, eyes clearly stating that Bakura was not his master, and he had absolutely no reason to listen to the ex-thief. 

"You know Shadii as well as I do! He's _not_ going to stand for this! We need to send someone to wherever it is that Yuugi went of to and warn him! Someone that can defend him from shadow magick!" 

Pure defiance. 

"You little shit, you know where he is, don't you!?" The gears in Bakura's head began to turn. "Of course, _you're_ the one that took him. Probably back to Yami, ne?" 

The Dark Magician's face didn't even flinch. He was hiding something, and he was good at it. And his own monster was trying to hide it as well. 

Now it all fit together. The shadows were trying to help. Bakura gasped. "Shadii's powers will be useless to him if he tries to use them against Yuugi. No _wonder_ you don't want anybody interfering. The help isn't needed." 

The Change of Heart sighed. 

"Fine. I just won't use the Shadow Realm as a portal to get there. There are many other ways to time travel. Yuugi's grandfather is going crazy, making _my_ hikari sick with worry. I have to let them see for themselves that nothing is going to happen." 

The Dark Magician ground his teeth together in annoyance as the Tomb Robber vanished from the shadow realm. 

**********************

Yeah! Another chappie down! *cheers*


	8. Play on Words

****

Gemini

-**A note to the readers.** People in this chapter who normally speak ancient Egyptian will be speaking ancient Egyptian. People speaking Japanese will be speaking Japanese. People speaking English will be speaking English. Just to make things clear. The languages are as you see them. **A note to the readers.**-

Yuugi awoke bright and early that morning, much to his own surprise. He had never been a very good morning person, according to his recollection. He blinked his eyes in the early morning glow of the rising sun, feeling a warm breath rain over his neck. 

He smiled. Yami was still sound asleep, head buried in the side of Yuugi's neck, just low enough for his breathing to fall over the boy's collar bone, an arm draped lazily over Yuugi's chest. Although the pharaoh couldn't remember their past-well, future for that matter- at all, he still felt a strong attraction for his light. 

Yuugi shifted his position slightly, rolling to his side, facing the pharaoh. The puzzle fell from his chest to the bed, the long leather cord holding firmly. The glimmering gold glinted in the dew kissed morning. Would he and his darkness ever form the bond they once had? To be able to feel each other's emotions and thoughts? One thing was for sure, it'd be a hell of a lot easier learning Egyptian. He sighed. 

The dusky body next to him shifted in position as well, a little growl emanating from Yugioh's throat. Yuugi realized that some things never change. 

The pharaoh cursed as his eyes blinked open. Yuugi simply giggled, cuddling up to him. "Ohayo," he smiled, nuzzling the pharaoh's cheek. 

"Ohayo," Yugioh reiterated slowly. Yuugi pointed to his belly. "Tabemono." 

Yugioh nodded, reaching over to get the tray of food that was always set out for them. 

Yuugi grinned, thinking of something. "Sake," he said. 

Setting the tray down between the two of them, Yugioh raised a dignified eyebrow. Yuugi chuckled, making to motion with his hand of someone drinking from a glass. 

Realization seemed to dawn on the pharaoh. "ib," he said, then got up and poured a glass of juice for Yuugi. 

The teenager looked at the small gold cup, yet another laugh bubbling past his lips. His yami thought he was thirsty. How funny! 

Yuugi captured his yami's attention again, doing a familiar hand motion to show the relationship between two different words. "Sake," he said, then moved his hand over to the other side. "Hnqt." Granted, beer was a very poor comparison to sake, but he didn't know the Egyptian term for wine. At least the beer had the alcohol content. 

Yugioh looked at him perplexed for a moment, finally bursting into a small chuckle himself. Yuugi sure knew how to make him laugh sometimes. 

After breakfast, the pharaoh still needed to help Yuugi get into the royal kilt that was traditionally worn by the rulers of Egypt, and rather enjoyed himself as Yuugi kept absentmindedly allowing obvious swear words to escape his mouth as another piece of cloth nearly made him trip. . . again. The torture was over soon enough, though, leaving to two ready to leave the room for the day. 

Suddenly, though, Yugioh stopped at the chamber doors, seemingly lost in thought for the moment. Before his hand could touch the door, he turned sharply around and headed for the polished wooden box Yuugi had set down on the night stand the evening before. 

Opening the lid with infinite care, Yuugi saw him lift a shimmering piece of gold out of the box. 

Yuugi only realized that it was a crown similar to the one that his yami already wore once it was placed fully on his head. Smiling broadly, the pharaoh led him over to a plaque of solid silver that had been placed on the wall, extending from floor to ceiling. Yuugi realized that people didn't know how to make glass yet, pound down the silver until it was a thin film, and stick it behind the glass with a clear adhesive. For the meantime, though, this worked splendidly. 

"Sugoi," he breathed, admiring the look it gave him. Yuugi promised himself, though, that he would not let this crown take over his identity. He wouldn't let it run his life until there was no one and nothing left in it. 

Placing a gentle kiss to Yuugi's temple, the pharaoh led them out the chamber doors and into the hall, walking gracefully down to the throne room. 

Speaking of which, the throne room. What a throng of activity it was in that little space today. 

Well, okay, so maybe the throne room wasn't such a little space. In fact, the place was absolutely _gargantuan. _The throne itself was set deep into the room, the farthest reaching walls actually colonnades open to the outside view of the city. It was simply magnificent. 

Yugioh led Yuugi up to the throne, and Yuugi noticed that there were, in fact, two thrones of equal size, equal stature, and equal beauty, placed side by side. Both were probably wood, imported from somewhere, and completely covered in gold and fine jewels, bas-reliefs carved into the back and legs. Twin cobras coiled up the sides, and Yuugi knew from his travels with his grandfather that the cobra was considered the guardian of the pharaoh. 

Yugioh motioned for Yuugi to sit in the throne that would be placed at his right side, allowing Yuugi to, once he and his yami were seated, twine his left hand into Yugioh's right. 

The commotion of the room quieted as the two took their seats, Yuugi seeing everyone bowed as he sat down. 

He was intrigued to see a woman looking up at him in the midst of her revering, smiling. It wasn't an evil smile, either. The teen had seen enough of those in his day to discern one from the other. No, she looked truly happy to see him up there. Vaguely, he wondered why, but he smiled back just the same. 

Yugioh called with his deep voice for the sessions of the day to come into order. Seth came up afterwards, bowing, then motioned for the first petitioner of the day to come forth and speak his peace. Yuugi figured that he would not use the puzzle to understand what was being said unless the situation absolutely called for it. 

As the man talked, Yugioh seemed to be becoming more and more irritated. At first, Yuugi thought that he was loosing his patience, until that shining look of insane glee slowly began to seep in. This man was trying to challenge Yugioh to something, hoping to trick the pharaoh into getting what he wanted. And at the moment, Yuugi's yami was up for a good challenge. 

Yuugi sighed, knowing what the out come would be. Maybe a little advice would help? Not that the petitioner would understand any of it.

"Yami o karuku ashiratte wa narimasen. Nakanaka anadorigatai hito desu kara." Just practical advice was all. No one should underestimate his yami. That was a fatal mistake on anyone's part. 

Utter silence followed his words, and Yuugi felt suddenly silly. Yugioh's thumb softly, invisible to the eyes watching them, rubbed Yuugi's hand slightly, and the teen swore that he saw the briefest amount of amusement flicker in his darkness's eyes. 

It was moments later when the challenge was over, the mind game lost to the petitioner, and only Yuugi's gentle pleadings keeping him from bitter punishment. 

"pr-aA," Seth's voice broke the silence that followed. He pointed to the next person waiting. 

"saA" Yugioh commanded, and a figure in gray robes walked forth, silver strands of hair barely visible under his hood. 

"pr-aA," a sickly sweet voice crooned, and once he stepped in front of the throne he removed his hood, revealing a man with long, pleated silver hair and brown eyes. The look on his face clearly let everyone know that they were inferior to him. 

Yuugi's hand squeezed on the pharaoh's, and Yugioh's deep crimson eyes looked at him questioningly, and worriedly. 

Yuugi sucked in a deep breath, trying to remain calm. After all, Pegasus nearly killed him in a shadow game, why would his past self hesitate to do the same? 

"inw," the silver haired man spoke, motioning to a large group of obvious slaves who began bringing in massive amounts of boxes, caskets, crates and baskets and every other kind of container imaginable containing food, wine, linen, silks, papyrus, gold, silver, jewels. . . Yuugi's eyes began to spin. So much stuff!   
  
Yugioh watched with doubt, eyes searching for the man's ulterior motive.

The man's grin broadened. 

"Pharaoh of Kemmet, 

I bryng gyfts from afar.

A challenge to thee,

I know thy seeks, 

so I offer a game, 

cant's thou defeat?" 

Everyone one in the room looked on confused, the language spoken by the man unknown, and never before heard in the land of the Nile. 

"Tys a shame thy god knows knot what I say,

fors't he'd hear me speak 

that thyn treasures at his feat, 

ayre indeed strewn with deceit.

Death awaits, the tempest's take, 

whilst poisons claim the Throne of the Gemini." 

It was silent again for the moment, Yuugi's rage slowly boiling. Damn, why do some people have to be such _asses_ in their past life too? "Bakamono," Yuugi snarled. "Thou art a fool." While the other kids in his class had struggled with English, he had actually moved on to study old English, the works of Shakespeare, and other such poets. He actually really enjoyed it. _He_ could play at this game. 

The man's face looked stark pale. 

"To my kingdom, thou hast come,

bearing gifts-far greater than just for one. 

Inlain with hate, evyl and spyte, false is thy deeds. 

Dares't thou thynk that thyn can defeat, 

the mind of the Gemini?"

The man looked like he didn't know what to do, moving head to look side to side, as if aid might come to his side. Yuugi decided to throw in some of the Modern English he had learned as well. "Got your hand caught in the cookie jar, didn't you?" 

Let's see now, how did his yami teach him to say that one famous phrase? Ah, yes, he remembered. "it sw." 

Instantly, guards everywhere surrounded the silver-haired man and bound him with iron chains. 

"May the devil curse thee to Hell," he spit back. Yuugi merely laughed. "I don't believe in Hell!" 

The man struggled vainly to try and escape. He had actually been so confident that no one would understand what he said, that he didn't even think of a back-up plan. Hn. Guess the Pegasus of the past was just as arrogant as the one in the future, too. Only in this time, though, he obviously had not obtained the Millenium Eye yet. 

Yugioh cupped Yuugi's face and brought him eye to eye, looking at him extremely questioningly. Yuugi pointed to the gifts, then made the universal sign for death: the running of his finger across his neck, signifying the cut of the throat. Yugioh's eyes narrowed dangerously, looking back at the riches laid at his feet. Without a moments hesitation he ordered the gifts to be burned, telling everyone that they had been poisoned, a trick sent to the pharaoh's doorstep. 

Yuugi suddenly realized that, with the very demanding look on his yami's face, this was going to require some explaining. 

**********************

Translation time! 

Ohayo- Good Morning

Tabemono- Food

Sake- Warm Japanese Wine

ib- Thirsty Person

Hnqt- Beer 

Sugoi- Awesome

Yami o karuku ashiratte wa narimasen. Nakanaka anadorigatai hito desu kara. –Don't underestimate Yami. He's nobody's fool.

Pr-aA- Pharaoh

saA- Gifts

it sw- Seize Him


	9. Evening Display

****

Gemini

The pharaoh yawned, stretching his muscles only slightly. He had woken up exceedingly early for his standards. 

Well, actually, he woke up early to everyone's standards. The sun had not even risen yet. The sounds of the nocturnal were still sounding outside the palace walls. The moon was still casting a silver glow across Yuugi's porcelain face. 

Yuugi. That was probably why he couldn't sleep much this evening. Everyone had been awed the day before at Yuugi's prowess at handling the deceptive merchant. _So my ka speaks two languages, not to mention sparse amounts of a third._ Where had he learned it? Where had he come from? It seemed the longer Yuugi was with him, the more questions that emerged in Yugioh's mind. And, for some reason, Yuugi had not used the puzzle to communicate either. Why? Was it truly that draining? 

He sighed, running his fingers through Yuugi's silken tresses. Never, in all of Egypt, had anyone had hair as soft as his. He put the finest silks of the palace to shame, and many of the women who had the luxury of brushing his hair in the mornings either confirmed his god-like qualities, or were extremely envious. Not to mention his overtly soft skin, or the fact that there was not one parasite on the young man's body. None at all. 

This, even among most royalties, was unheard of. This simply did not happen. Yugioh, of course, bathed regularly himself, choosing to _not_ have a flea jump off of him while sitting on the throne, or while eating his breakfast. 

Yuugi was the greatest enigma he had ever come across. 

The young man's eyes flittered a moment, finally opening themselves. Yuugi yawned, looking up at the pharaoh. 

Yugioh frowned. "Sorry I woke you." 

Yuugi looked at him oddly, uncomprehending. Shaking his head, he buried his face into his yami's chest. "Ai shite imasu," he yawned. 

The pharaoh lifted up his chin, looking at him questioningly. "Why?" 

Yuugi frowned, knowing this word all too well. In Japan, it was a common word his yami often asked, usually either when Anzu was flirting with him, or when Bakura decided to go on another one of his raves. Whenever his yami asked 'why me?' Yuugi would always give that one simple reply that everyone was familiar with. 

Yuugi shook his head. "Because. Just because." 

Yugioh frowned harder. And just when he thought he'd figured out all of the Egyptian Yuugi knew. 

Now Yuugi himself had never meant to cause anything to happen, he was merely fulfilling an act he performed normally back in Japan. It was simply natural for him. Yugioh, however, was bewildered to find supple lips pressed against his own. It was nothing hard, nothing demanding, just a gentle touch that brought a hard-to-place flavor. His first instinct was to push Yuugi away, but found that the intoxicating sensations running through his senses prohibited such actions. Instead, he wasn't aware that he was actually moving into the kiss.

Yuugi quickly found himself pinned under the warm weight of his yami, hungry lips trying to pry his lips apart. Besides, who was he to deny the desires of his darkness? Grinning to himself, he parted his lips willingly, at the same time spreading his legs to encompass the pharaoh's waist, giving a gentle squeeze. 

The pharaoh growled, pushing Yuugi further into the feathery bed. 

************************

Yugioh stared down at Yuugi, perspiration dripping from his nose. The young man's hair was wet and pressed against his temples, his mouth open and sucking in precious air, just as breathless as the one on top of him. 

The pharaoh could never remember a more fulfilling experience. He felt whole, for the first time in his life. And Yuugi, gods Yuugi! He had been so yielding, so warm, and yet coaxing whenever his yami's resolve to continue seemed to falter. Yuugi not only seemed to want it too, but he knew exactly how to get it. 

__

He's done this before. This thought struck the pharaoh hard. His eyes steeled to slits. _But with who?_

Now, more than ever, he needed to know exactly who Yuugi was, and where he had come from. 

Yuugi had been ready to fall back asleep, the sun was barely up, but blinked his eyes back open when he realized that Yugioh was slipping a piece of the leather cord that bound the puzzle around his own neck, making that _both_ of them were now wearing the puzzle. 

Closing his eyes, he rested his forehead against Yuugi's, ready to get some answers. 

Immediately, he found himself in a brightly lit room, odd things strewn about. _A child's play room? But what are these things all over the floor?_

Laughter to his right captured his attention. "They're called toys. Of course, they are a bit modern for this time." 

Yugioh turned his head to see Yuugi starring at him, wearing the same strange attire that was on him the night he arrived. The look in the young man's face was overjoyed, and yet pained at the same time. 

"Gods, darkness, it's been so long since I've seen you in here." He walked up and grabbed his darkness in a desperate hug. 

"I've never been in here before, what are you talking about?" 

Yuugi's body seemed to flinch. 

"Yuugi, who have you made love to before? You _knew_ what you were doing. Tell me who it was." _And why the hell I liked it so much. Men are supposed to be attracted to women._ The pharaoh's voice was demanding, almost sounding hurt himself. How could Yuugi have been with another?

"You," he whispered, but Yugioh heard it just he same. 

"Yuugi, that's not possible!" 

Yuugi pulled back from the embrace, looking at his darkness sadly. "From the time you sealed the shadows, from the time you woke up, you have no recollection, do you?" 

"No." The pharaoh really wanted him to get to the point. 

Yuugi sighed. "Just say, perhaps, that when you sealed the puzzle, your soul was split in two. One half got locked inside of the puzzle. That's you." He pointed to Yugioh. "The other half, meanwhile, was left to wander the earth until being reborn five-thousand years later, in say, a place called Japan. More than four thousand miles away." 

Yugioh frowned. "Miles?" 

Yuugi slapped his head, realizing the English distance measurements weren't solidified until probably the early fourteen hundreds. 

Well, whenever it was, it was certainly way after the time of the Egyptians. "Umm, probably a two year journey on horse back from here." 

Yugioh's eyes went wide. 

"And just say, perhaps, that when your other half was reborn, he solved the puzzle, thereby freeing you. During that time, the shadow realm was reopened, and I almost died in three shadow games. We saved the world twice over, delt with a psychotic tomb robber and relinquished the evil part of a grave keeper gone bad. Thankfully, we came out alive." Yuugi smiled at his darkness sadly. "However, someone said that you had to come back to Egypt, in your own time, and rule again, leaving me in the future." His smile faded. " I couldn't handle it, darkness. Three days, just three days without you and all I wanted to do was die. . ." Yuugi's voice tapered off, looking his yami square in the eye.   
  
"And now, you don't even remember who I am. All that we've been through. I can barely speak to you with language, Egyptian being so foreign a concept to learn." He lowered his eyes to the floor, unable to hold the gaze anymore. "That's also how I knew who Seth is. Our arch rival in the future is his reincarnation, Seto Kaiba." 

Yugioh 'awed,' now realizing what Yuugi had been saying earlier, then looked at him oddly. "Are you telling me all of this happened? That it's real? Then how are you here?" 

Yuugi smiled weakly. "The Dark Magician. Our faithful friend and Duel Monster." 

Yugioh thought this over, realizing that it was the most logical explanation. How else would he have gotten here? "If you really are from the future," the pharaoh began, "Tell me something that was invented that is unheard of today." This was hard for the pharaoh to accept at first. It seemed almost preposterous. Why wouldn't he remember?! But then, of course, he had Yuugi. What much else was there to complain about?

Yuugi scrunched his nose, thinking hard. "People fly around in something called airplanes." 

Yugioh blinked, then shrugged. "Well, I figured something like _that_ would happen. Tell me something that would blow me away." 

Suddenly, Yuugi grinned, thinking of just the two things that would make his darkness a believer. "Non-dairy creamer and peach flavored applesauce." 

Yugioh was silent for a moment, thinking these concepts over in his mind. "Okay, I believe. That's just weird." 

Yuugi chuckled, then suddenly frowned, remembering something. "Darkness, do you think we'll be able to resurface your memories? That we'll be able to make you remember all that you and I have been through? That we'll be able to reclaim our bond…" Yuugi voice faltered again, and Yugioh realized that there was an immense pain, and a deep longing in the young man's voice. 

On instinct, the pharaoh wrapped him up in a furious hug. A strange tugging inside of him wanted to make Yuugi happy by whatever means possible. "We'll try," was all he could manage. "We'll try." What else was he supposed to say? He honestly didn't know. 

"Yuugi…." 

"Hmm?" 

"Who was that merchant yesterday? The one who sent the poisoned gifts? What language were you speaking?" 

"Well, in the future, his reincarnation Pegasus J. Crawford was one of the ones that almost killed me in a Shadow Game. He used the Millenium Eye to read our minds while we were dueling. It was a hard win, but because you and I shared the same body, we both dueled together. I think he died later when the tomb robber stole his Eye after winning a duel against him. I figured that his past self would be into foul play as well. As for the language, some say that it is the hardest on earth to learn, along with Japanese and Arabic. You see, English can piece together just about any words they want to. There is no rhyme or reason to their sentences. And if there are rules, there are always exceptions to the rules." 

Yugioh frowned. "Sounds confusing." 

Yuugi giggled. "It took you two years to learn how to ask where the chocolate pudding was when we took a vacation to Hawaii." 

"Hawaii?" 

"A tropical paradise that has not been founded yet. Hell, I doubt it's even been settled yet. It will become apart of the United States." 

"And what is that?" 

"The first country ever to abolish imperialism and dictatorships." 

The pharaoh laughed. "Are you telling me that they have no government?" 

"No, I'm saying that the people run the government themselves. Every so many years they vote, or elect, a new representative for themselves and can get rid of them at any time." 

The pharaoh was silent for a moment, then snorted. "That's ridiculous. They'll never be able to abolish the royalties." 

"They do. And they end up becoming possibly the most powerful nation in the world. Of course, some always debate otherwise, but you get the general idea." 

Yugioh shook his head. "Don't go spreading ideas like this out amongst the people. We're only an inch away from another riot." 

Yuugi smiled. "No, I don't think the world is ready yet for that kind of government. Not for a long time." 

Yuugi's darkness opened his mouth to say something, but stopped short when strange sounds began reverberating around Yuugi's soul room. 

"Some one's trying to wake us up," Yuugi stated. The pharaoh nodded. 

*************************

Seth walked quickly down the halls of the palace, intent in finding the pharaoh. Granted, he was probably signing his own death warrant just trying to wake the ruler up so early, but he didn't have much of a choice right now. There was some important business for him to attend to. 

Rounding a corner, the giant oaken doors came into full view, and he didn't even bother knocking. He pushed open the doors. 

Inside, he certainly had not expected to see what he did. It was obvious to see what the two on the bed had been doing. Even though both were under the covers, Seth could see Yuugi's legs placed in a precarious position, he upturned knees visible under the blanket, with a sweaty pharaoh lying right in between them. Both had their hair wet and plastered to their foreheads, eyes closed while their 'third eyes' were touching. Specifically, the one place on the forehead right above one's eyes and centered, where the wisdom of the mind is supposed to reside. Not to mention the pharaoh's control over the shadows. 

Gods, he knew they liked each other, but really, this was ridiculous. 

He coughed, receiving no response. The two seemed to be in some sort of trance right now. He coughed again. 

"Pharaoh, wake up! Pharaoh!" No response. 

Three more tries later, he saw Yuugi's purple eyes blink open, Yugioh's crimson ones following suite. 

The pharaoh turned his head and looked at his high priest, nodding his head in acknowledgement. "Seto." 

"Horse!" Yuugi exclaimed, giggling madly. 

Yugioh looked over at Yuugi. Seth saw him move his index fingers in an odd fashion, as if he were pointing to two different things set side by side on a table. Yuugi nodded emphatically, then proclaimed the word again. "Horse!" He went into another fit of laughs, the pharaoh now joining in. 

"Umm, sir, please, there is something important that you need to see." 

Still, they laughed. 

"Sire, please!" 

Yugioh slipped a cord from around his neck, now sitting up and wiping a tear from his eye. He couldn't believe that Seto meant horse! 

"What is it, Seth?"

For a brief moment, the high priest realized that this was the first time he had ever seen the pharaoh laugh. "There is something important that I think you need to see." 

Yuugi sat up in the bed, looking at Seth questioningly. "Shinpai suru," Yuugi groaned. He looked over at his yami. "Genki yoku okiru jikan da!" 

Seth frowned. "Any idea what he said, pharaoh?" 

Yugioh shrugged. "Ra of I know. We'll be dressed in a minute." 

Seth nodded, stepping out of the room. 

***********************

Yugioh stood with his arms crossed, starring at his high preist in the middle of a dark hallway, Yuugi beside him. 

"Well?" 

"Umm," Seth fidgeted, looking behind him. "Brace yourself," he said. He looked back at the pharaoh. "I figured with the similarities in their behaviors, you'd probably want to see this." 

Yugioh raised a dignified eyebrow. 

"Bring 'em over," Seth wailed at the guards down the hall. 

Yuugi yawned, leaning into the pharaoh's side. 

"Dame baka!!!" Someone screamed. "Itai! Yamu!!! Yamu!!!" 

Yuugi's wide purple eyes grew wider. In the distance, three figures appeared, being not-so-kindly escorted by eight guards. Four of them alone on one figure who was struggling. 

Strangely enough, all three had white hair, although one's was a bit grayer than the others. Two boys, looking like twins, and another one that appeared to be an old man. 

"Ji-chan!" Yuugi exclaimed, leaving the pharaoh's side in a blind furry.

**************************

All for now! Translations!

Shinpai suru: Lose sleep (over something)

Genki Yoko okiru jikan da!: Rise and shine!

Dame baka: useless fool

Itai: Ouch! 

Yamu: Stop


	10. Ties from the Future

****

Gemini

Yugioh watched as Yuugi ran up to the old man that was being escorted by one of the guards, babbling in that strange language of his. The old man was doing likewise, tears streaming out of his face as he hugged Yuugi. 

"It appears they know each other," Seth observed. 

The one that had been struggling stopped, now glaring at Yugioh. He shouted something, attempting to point to the guards holding on to his arms. The pharaoh raised an eyebrow. "An what do you suppose he's saying?" 

Seth shrugged. "You know more than I do." 

The tallest white haired one growled. "Damn it, pharaoh! Don't play dumb and tell them to unhand me!" 

Both the priest and the pharaoh's mouth went slack. "_You _speak Egyptian?" Seth asked. 

"Damn it, Seto, you ass! Tell them to let me go!" He stopped, realizing what he just said. "Oh, right, past Kaiba. Don't know me." 

"All right! That's it! What's with all of this Seto business?!" the priest demanded. 

Yugioh chuckled. 

"Pharaoh no baka, have them release me! You know who the hell I am!" 

Yugioh raised an eyebrow. "I do?" 

The white haired man let out a string of words in that odd language, struggling again. 

Yugioh saw Yuugi turn around and look at the one struggling, explaining something to him rather quickly. The man's eyes grew wide. He looked over at Yugioh. "You don't remember? Anything?" 

The pharaoh crossed his arms. "No." 

Seth looked over at him. "Remember what?" 

"Later," he replied, not wanting to go into detail at the moment. He looked over at the man still held captive. "So tell me, who are you?" 

"If I tell you, will you let me be released?" 

"Are you a friend of Yuugi's?" 

The man snorted. "My light is, so indirectly, yes. But go and tell any one else that and I'll send your Kuriboh to the Shadow Realm for good." 

Yugioh stopped short. "You have shadow powers? And a light?" 

The man snarled. "If I could smack my forehead right now I would." 

The pharaoh nodded to the guards, and they released him. The man growled, dusting off his sleeves. Come to think of it, the three new occupants of the hallway all had on strange clothing. Yugioh noticed that Yuugi was modeling the linen of the Egyptians. 

"My name is Bakura," the man said, then pointed towards the other person that looked like his twin. "My hikari Ryou." 

Seth looked at the pharaoh. "Hikari?"   


"Yuugi told me that it means light," Yugioh replied. 

Bakura pointed to the old man. "Yuugi's grandfather, Sugoroku."   
  
Grandfather? Well, this certainly only solidified all of what Yuugi had said earlier. "What are you doing here in this time," Yugioh asked. 

"Well, considering the fact that Yuugi just disappeared one night, it had his grandfather just a little worried. And, of course, being his friend my hikari would be worried, therefore meaning that I would have to fix it in order for Ryou to be happy. So there." 

"Then why do you speak Egyptian as well," Seth inquired. 

"Because I'm from Egypt, too." He gently pulled at the ring hanging from around his neck. 

It was the millenium ring. Yugioh snarled. "That should be on my priest Mahaado's grave. That was _his_." 

"It is there, for now. You have to remember that I'm not from this time, _pharaoh_. But it will get stolen in the future." _I'm just not going to tell you that I'm the one that took it._

Meanwhile, Yuugi had been happily chatting away with his grandfather and Ryou.

"Gods, Yuugi, I've been so worried about you." Sugoroku squeezed just a little bit tighter on the hug. 

"I'm okay, Ji-chan. Really. Things have been going well here." 

"Are you going to be able to come back home, Yuugi? You and Yami?" Ryou asked. 

"I-I'm not sure. If we leave now, there's no one to take over the throne. Gods know what could happen then." He broke away from the hug. 

"Yuugi, I should tell you this. Bakura told me that Shadii would be coming back here. You know that he doesn't want you here," Ryou stated, hoping to warn him in enough time to prepare. 

Yuugi's eyes grew wider. "Oh, kuso." He looked over at Bakura who was laughing with amusement, delighted with the fact that he was able to insult the pharaoh and get away with it.   


"Bakura!" Yuugi said, getting his attention. "Can you tell Yami for me that Shadii is coming back? Please?" 

Bakura growled, but one look at Ryou and he complied. Yuugi saw Yugioh listening intently, his eyes suddenly narrowing dangerously. Seth was still lost in the dark.

Yuugi looked back to his grandfather. "You can't stay long, can you?" 

The old man shook his head. "No. Bakura said he can only keep the portal open for a little while. I just wanted to make sure you were safe, Yuugi. You had me really worried." 

Yuugi smiled. "I'm okay now. So is Yami." 

Sugoroku frowned. "I'm sorry he doesn't remember anything." 

Yuugi shook his head. "We'll fix that. Don't worry. We did it once before. We can do it again." 

Smiling, he gave his grandson one last hug before he had to go. Glancing up, he saw Yami starring at him intently. Walking up to the pharaoh, Sugoroku gave him a hug as well, grateful that his only grandson's other was also well and happy. Yugioh's eyes became quite wide, starring at the old man strangely as he began walking away. 

"Ja Ne!" Yuugi called, whilst Bakura was explaining that they had to leave in Egyptian. 

Yuugi returned to the pharaoh's side, wrapping his arms around Yugioh's waist. 

Seth turned to his rulers. "Well, that was certainly a fast visit. Now do you mind telling me who in the hell they were? And what they hell is going on? And what the _hell_ is with all of this Seto business?!" 

Yugioh chuckled, holding Yuugi tightly to him. Now that he knew for sure what Yuugi was telling him was true, he realized that he had a lot of memories to recover, and with the Shadii character coming so soon, he didn't know how much time he would have.

"Well!?" Seth demanded. The pharaoh looked out at a window, seeing the sun begin to rise. "Well, since it's morning, what do you say I explain it over breakfast?" 

Seth blinked, knowing that Yugioh never, _ever_ ate his morning meal outside of his room, not wanting any contact with people so early. Maybe having Yuugi around wasn't such a bad thing after all. 

"All right." 

The pharaoh looked down at Yuugi. "Tabemono?" he questioned. Yuugi face lit up with delight. He nodded his head emphatically. "Hai." 

***********************************

*Yawns* Hmm, short but sweet. I'm warning you, don't expect much in way for the Shadii scene, but I'll do my best. I've sort of jumped ahead in my mind frame, all sorts of fluffy scenes and growing experiences on the way. *Falls asleep at computer*


	11. Unlikely Alliance

****

Gemini

Seth starred at his pharaoh quietly, beginning to wonder of perhaps being a ruler had finally knocked him off his rocker. 

"The future." 

"That's right." Yugioh took another sip of his wine, then returned back to his morning meal. 

"Five thousand years." 

"Yep." 

Seth looked back at Yuugi who was happily eating away the contents of his plate. "And this 'Seto Kaiba' is my reincarnation?" 

"So I'm told." The pharaoh reached for a piece of fruit. 

Seth was silent yet again. This was, for some strange reason, hard for him to digest this new information. "Hmm." He went back to his breakfast. 

He would need time to dwell on this, but he would soon find out that yes, indeed, it was all true, and it all did make utterly clear sense. Why else would Yugioh have been fine before he was sealed within the puzzle, then come back unreasonable and cruel? Why else could Yuugi be the only one to make him happy and sane? Yuugi was, in every way, Yugioh's balance. 

"So, ah, what does Yuugi think about all of this?" 

The pharaoh looked over at his light, seeing him still thoroughly absorbed in his meal. "I think that he's happy, so long as we're not separated." 

The priest frowned. "And what about this Shadii person that you had been told about? What is it he wants?" 

Seth noticed the pharaoh's grip on his cup become tighter. "Apparently, he's the one that separated me and Yuugi in the first place. He is supposedly coming back to bring Yuugi to his own time." Yugioh growled. "I will not allow it. Yuugi stays with me. He is mine." 

Yuugi looked up from his breakfast, frowning at his darkness. "Yami? Subete migi?" He grabbed one the Yugioh's hands with his own, concern written all over his features. 

"What does it mean," Seth inquired.

"I think he's worried," Yugioh stated, giving a gentle squeeze and a comforting smile in return. "Hai." 

Yuugi looked shocked for a moment, face suddenly becoming adorned with a smile. So his darkness was learning a bit of his language, too. 

Seth shook his head, not understanding, and decided to finish his meal. 

~ * ~

The pharaoh stood in his chambers, amazed that his smaller counterpart had learned how to wrap the linen around himself so quickly. Both had decided to take a bath before beginning any duties for the day, needing to clean up fully from the night before. 

Yuugi was happily chattering away, half to himself, half to the room around him. "Toshiyori ga, atarashii koto o manabu no wa konnan da. Ha!" He clasped the linen, then put on his sandals. He turned to Yugioh. "Done." 

The pharaoh smiled. Yuugi was learning _very_ quickly. Walking up to him, the pharaoh wrapped him up in a kiss, handing him the gold crown Yuugi refused to wear at night. "Arigatou," he replied, a little breathless, then put the gold band on his forehead. 

Suddenly, and without warning, Yuugi went very rigid, his eyes turning from dancing amethysts to cold, frightened violet. 

"Darkness," he breathed, his fingers digging in softly to the pharaoh's flesh. 

"Yuugi, what is it," he asked, worried. 

Yuugi was silent for a moment, still refusing to move. "Look." 

Yugioh looked up, realizing that they weren't in their chambers any more. In fact, they weren't even in Egypt any more. 

"The Shadow Realm," Yugioh stated, surprised that he hadn't noticed where they were. Then again, he was so used to being in it from all of the duels he'd ever been in, it was no wonder. Second nature it felt to him to have the shadows caressing his skin and the darkness to want to consume him. 

"Oh, gods, he brought us here," Yuugi whispered. 

Yugioh knew that language had no meaning here, no matter what is was that one spoke. He and Yuugi could understand every word uttered here, and even if, for instance, one had intended it to be in a different language, it would not make any difference. 

"You mean Shadii," the pharaoh stated. 

"Yes. Shadii." 

It was silent for a moment. They needed to get out of here, and Yugioh was desperately trying to devise a way to do so. Only the victor of a game could leave the Shadow Realm, unless they were directly escorted by a duel monster. Which, in all cases, was very, _very_ rare. 

"Where is he," Yuugi asked, looking around him at the darkness and shadows he could not see through. 

"He's waiting, until we separate, or do something rash." 

Yuugi held tighter to his darkness. "He will not win." 

Yugioh nestled his face into Yuugi's silk-soft hair. "Never. We won't let him. _I_ won't let him." 

Yuugi held on tightly to his darkness. "What are we going to do?" 

Yugioh frowned. "We'll think of something. Shadii is _not_ getting his hands on you." 

"_We'll just see about that._" 

Their heads turned to look directly in front of them, seeing a small figure slowly start to take shape within the shadows. Yuugi scowled when those pupil-less blue eyes became visible. 

"I'm not going anywhere, Shadii. You made a mistake in keeping me in the present time. I belong with my darkness." 

"You belong in the time in which you were born, just as the pharaoh does. Yugioh's rule is not yet over, and your life in Japan is not yet over. It's time for you to go home, Yuugi. Now." The Egyptian held up his Ankh, ready to use force if necessary. 

"If you want him, Shadii, you're going to have to pry him out of my arms. Why not over a Shadow Game?" 

Shadii sneered. "I'm not that stupid, pharaoh. You cannot be defeated in a duel, it is your destiny to hold such capabilities. No, I will only be using force to retrieve Yuugi." 

Yugioh frowned, bracing himself for what was to come. "So be it." 

The Sennen Ankh flared to life, gold and purple energies shooting out towards the pharaoh and his light. 

Yuugi felt the puzzle glow with warmth against his chest, pulsating with a growing life to defend him. 

In a flash of blinding light, Yuugi realized the puzzle hadn't had time to activate to produce a shield. 

"Look Yuugi," his darkness whispered in his ear. Indeed, Yuugi did look up, seeing the swirls of darkness dancing about in front of them. 

"The Shadows protected us?" 

Shadii looked speechless. His own shadow powers had turned against him? How? He shook his head, determined. "Then I'll use powers other than that of shadow." And in his hands, a silvery blue orb began to grow in size and brilliance. 

Yuugi attempted to activate the puzzle to create a shield again, finding that once more it wasn't needed. 

The Dark Magician was standing before the two of them, warding off Shadii's powers. "Mahaado," Yugioh whispered, not able to remember all that the magician had done for him in Japan. The pharaoh's last memory of the priest was when he had been doomed to the fate of being a Duel Monster for eternity. 

The sorcerer turned and gave a weak grin. 

A bone chilling roar sounded behind them, glimmers of white suddenly filling their vision. 

Shadii visibly backed up when four Blue Eyes positioned themselves in front of the twin rulers. 

Yuugi's mouth went slack. "Kaiba's Blue Eyes, and ours. Look darkness," Yuugi pointed to the one dragon placed directly in front of them. "That's ours! You can see a small scar across his chest, where Kaiba ripped up his card!" 

"Kaiba did what?!" Yugioh asked, suddenly angry. Yuugi smiled. "It happened a long time ago. We've made a mends, in a sense. And fixed the card to the best of our ability." 

Great pounding echoed behind them, growing louder and louder. 

"Obelisk," Yugioh stated, seeing the mammoth sized creature stalk up next to them. 

Flashes of gold to their left, and a cry for war. "The god Ra, Malik's monster!" Yuugi exclaimed. 

"Yuugi," the pharaoh began. 

"Yeah?" Yuugi asked. 

"Do you know anyone who had a Relinquished?" 

Yuugi turned dumbstruck at seeing the floating, gangly creature by their side. "Yeah," he said weakly. "Pegasus's monster. I can't believe it." 

Pleated red armor began to wrap around them, and a startled Yuugi and Yugioh looked up to see the two great jaws of Osiris, the sky god, glaring down Shadii with a vengeance. An earth shattering battle cry filled the dark void of the shadow realm around them. 

Shadii looked starkly white, unable to believe what he was seeing. 

"It would appear," Yugioh stated, "that even the gods are against you, Shadii." 

"No," the Egyptian began, his once brightly glowing Ankh now dull and lifeless. 

"You know the rules," the pharaoh began again, his voice ominous and harsh. "In this strange game of holding the shadow's and monster's affections, we won." 

Shadii dumbly shook his head, backing up all the further. "No," he said louder. 

Osiris roared angrily, the god's entire body vibrating with the effort. The Blue Eyes' joined in as well, Ra flying off to capture the departing Egyptian in his massive jaws. 

Yuugi looked on horrified as the cries of agony filled his ears until Yugioh turned his head so he could not see, shielding him from the carnage. 

"Why," he whispered, surprised that his darkness could hear him through the screams. 

"Because the Shadows demand one sacrifice should outside forces enter this realm. The only way around it is if one is escorted directly by a duel monster." 

Not wanting to have anyone dead on his account, Yuugi simply shook his head, realizing that Shadii would not have found any monster to be his guide. 

The screams quieted to simple little gurgles, then simply fading into sounds of utter silence. 

Yugioh looked up as one of the Blue Eyes dropped the Ankh at their feet. Silently, he picked it up, ready to go back home. "And so it is done."   


Grabbing hold again of his brooding light, Yugioh closed his eyes, finding himself back in his bed chambers again once he reopened them. 

The voice of his high priest filled his ears. "Yugioh, where have you been? You're supposed to be at the court room right now!" Seth stopped, noticing the tense air in the room. "What happened?" 

Yuugi did not look up. Yugioh stood silent for a moment, looking at the gold item in his hand. "It would appear that the threat of Shadii is no more. We can now rest easy at night." He looked up at Seth. "I'll give you the details this evening. You won't believe what happened." 

~ * ~

Wow. This really sucked. It would appear that I am in the mood to write some fluff scenes, as that is all that I can think about at the moment. R&R! please? Better stuff on the way, and some interesting views yet to come. 


	12. Looming Shadow

****

Gemini

Pathetic cries filled the palace halls. Slaves and workers gave a careless look. Another that was bound to lose a head at the hand of the pharaoh. Hope was but a fickle thing in the endless sands of Egypt. 

"Stop! Please! I had no other choice! Please, let me alone!"

"Quiet, old fool!" A guard roughly kicked his rib cage, rattling fragile bones. Years of malnutrition had left him not but a withering shell meant to die soon, anyway. 

The poor beggar was thrown to the floor, his head shoved harshly down. "Do not look upon your god! Your eyes are filth!" 

And so he sat there, trembling, afraid to look up and reveal his falling tears. 

"What have you set before me?" The impossibly deep voice of his god was vicious to his ears as he wept, ready to pass his harsh judgment all too quickly. 

"A thief, my lord. Caught in the market place for the second time stealing bread from the local vendors." 

The boot on the beggar's head pushed down harder. 

"You know the punishment for thieves. Away with…" 

"Wait," a voice called out. Bright, warm, vibrant and young. Had his death been but postponed for the moment? 

"Allow him to look upon me." The aging man felt the rough sole of the guard's boot lift from his head, allowing his battered form to shift his gaze upward. What he saw he couldn't believe. 

How had he forgotten? 

Two pharaohs it seemed looked down at him from their golden thrones, one's eyes hard and cold and bloodied with red, concealing shadows and hatred and loathing. The other's, however, were but the opposite. As purple as a sun-kissed sunrise, warm and endless with understanding. One pharaoh with dark skin weathered and shimmering with a golden hue, the other's soft and white, kissed by the wings of Christian angels. 

__

The Light of Egypt…

"What have you done, sir, that would land you at me and my darkness's feet?" 

The intertwining hands of the two pharaohs held to each other tightly. How could two so different have such a need for the other? 

He struggled to find his voice in the wake of gazing upon perfection. "I…I was getting the food for my family, sire. My children are hungry, my wife ill, my lands long since taken from me by the crown ages ago. I have no money to grow any wheat, no place to keep cows and pigs, no work to find to keep the luxuries of food and clothes…" a foot contacted with his side. 

"Do not speak so openly to the _Light_! You have no place!" 

"Stop," the soft voice said again, with a surprising firmness that should have belonged to the pharaoh himself. 

The beggar looked up at the Twin pharaohs, wondering what would become of him, and then his family after that. 

"Do not hurt him. He has every right to be speaking his peace. Fetch him enough food from the kitchen to last him two months, three if you can carry it." 

The old man's eyes grew wide. That much food? For _him?_ The guard looked back to the pharaoh for consent. 

The pharaoh's crimson eyes narrowed as he growled. "Do not ignore your order lest you lose your head! To the kitchens!" 

The beggar heard the armed man scamper off behind him. 

"I want his land returned to him as well. Three acres of it. Give him enough tools to start his gardening again so he may create wheat for bead come harvest season. Two cows and three pigs, plus two satchels of cotton. That should give him a good enough start at giving his children a better life. And a healer for his wife. Now." A dozen people flew off in a dozen directions, carrying out the _Light's_ instructions. 

A silent tear escaped the old man's eyes. "For me, sire?" 

The cherubic face turned to the side, giving him a contemplative look. "You had been a prosperous man in your past, hadn't you? A painter for the tombs, if I'm not mistaken?" 

"H-how…" 

"I have been reading up on our country's past. You had been blamed for the robberies at the excavation sites for the new tomb. Your name and you position had been recorded, along with your description. Your scar is still running down your face, and your hands are still wounded from your punishment. It is the same punishment that had been done to all that had been convicted, wrongly or justly." The _Light_ smiled, holding the puzzle lightly in his spare hand. The Eye of Horus seemed to wink. 

__

Does he speak directly with the gods themselves? 

"Give you children and their children a better future." 

The beggar smiled, unbelieving of what he was hearing. "Thank you," he whispered hoarsely. How had this ruler who looked but a mere child known that he was innocent of his earlier convictions? How had he known about the faulty trials? 

A young servant girl came up behind, kindly escorting him outside of the palace where his cart of food, cotton, and tools were waiting for him, the deeds for his land waiting in a scribe's hand. He looked back one last time at the two opposite figures sitting side by side, one of light and one of shadows. 

The pharaoh was leaning over the arms of the thrones, his hard eyes softening slightly as he gazed upon his _Light_. The smaller form laughed softly, nuzzling the pharaoh's face. 

__

Gods, but if he ever left us, we'd all be doomed… 

The beggar smiled as he walked away.

~ * ~ 

Yugioh ran his fingers through Yuugi's silk ebony tresses. "You keep using the puzzle in the daytime to speak to us, and yet every night you collapse on our bed, drained from the stress. How long will do you think I'll allow you to do this to yourself? I do not like to see you like this." 

Yuugi hid his face in the crook of his darkness's neck. "As long as it takes. I do not know how much longer you and I need to be here. If we were to leave now there would be no one to take over the throne. Chaos would ensue, you know this. I don't know what we should do." The two collapsed onto Yuugi's soul room bed, arms never releasing each other. It was much easier to speak inside of their mind with the puzzle around both of them. 

"I just want our bond back," Yuugi whispered. Yugioh silences his helpless tears with a kiss. 

__

We'll get it, as soon as we figure out how. I promise, my love, we will get it back. 

Yuugi broke the kiss, looking into his yami's blood-stained eyes. "What say you we find some of your memories?" 

Yugioh was silent for a moment. "How?" 

His light gave a weak smile. "I remember from the last time we took a trek through your soul room. I probably know it better than you do." 

He snuggled into Yuugi tightly. "Now?" 

Yuugi laughed. "Yes, now! When else?" 

The pharaoh rolled on top of him, effectively pinning him in place. 

"Yami…" 

__

Snore…

The teen struggled to move to no avail. "You make things so difficult at times." 

"Who, me?" Yugioh smiled next to his ear. "I wouldn't do that." Wandering fingers began to run over sensitive sides. 

Yuugi burst into a fit of giggles. "N-not fair! Hehehe…we're, hmm…we're supposed to be getting some…hahahaha… some progress done!" 

"And you say we're not?" 

Yuugi laughed some more. "Not fair! Uncle! Uncle! I give!! Hehehe…" 

Yugioh pulled the two of them up into a sitting position, hugging a panting light fiercely. "Any contact with you is progress," he whispered. 

Yuugi blushed. "Flatterer." 

The pharaoh kissed his cheek. "Good at it too." He stood up, holding a hand out that Yuugi took. "So, where do we begin?" 

"Where else, but your hall of memories?" 

Yuugi's silver lighted soul room diminished, and was quickly replaced by hard stone walls. 

"It looks like a tomb," Yugioh commented with loathing. 

"Of course that what it looks like. It's where your body was buried years ago." Yuugi led him through a string of many corridors, stair and ladders leading off in more directions than one could count. There were more doors than Yugioh knew what to do with. 

"They're traps," he stated. 

"Yes, they are. There is but one door in the place that will lead to your true inner self. You and I are the only ones that can find it." 

A bright illumination greeted their eyes from the depths of a dark corridor, Yuugi heading straight for it. Without a word uttered it opened soundlessly, allowing the two to enter. 

Old duel monster slabs stood erect on both sides, leading down the isle into another dark hallway. Yugioh recognized them instantly, but kept wisely silent. 

The Dark Magician was standing protectively off to the side, always at the vigil of guarding the pharaoh's mind. Yugioh gave a grateful nod. "Even in Eternity always the faithful. Thank you, Mahaado." 

Yuugi looked up at his darkness and smiled. "You should see all that he did for us in the future." 

The pharaoh nodded. "Indeed, I think I am about to." 

After the duel monster slabs ended, another hall became visible, this one filled with many doors of different colors. 

"Different events that you remember, these the most vivid. As you can see, there is a fine coating of dust on them, as you have forgotten that they are here." Yuugi stopped in front of one that was a deep maroon in hue. "Try this one first." 

Yugioh nodded, grasping the rusty handle in a lithe hand, slowly turning the knob. 

The darkness of his soul room washed away, suddenly landing him in a dark room filled with moonlight. 

He was looking down upon a figure that was flushed with anticipation. 

In his mind, he gasped at what he saw, but this was only a memory. He could not change what was happening in it. 

Yuugi was beneath him on a soft bed, his leather shirt unbuttoned and his leather collar lying undone under his neck. Violet eyes looked in a mixture of excitement, thrill, passion, and an undying lust that longed to have been fulfilled. 

He reached under Yuugi's neck and brought his head up, crushing him in a bruising, heated kiss. 

Eager hands wandered down his sides, seeking out skin it longed to touch. The desire within him was raging. 

Yuugi ripped off his yami's shirt, delicate fingers fumbling with a leather belt. 

How long would this night last for him? His memory told him that the passion would enfold for hours. Desperate cries would fill the darkening night, leave them trembling in the wake of perfection come morning. 

Yugioh stumbled back into his hall of memories, trembling from head to foot. Yuugi looked at him with an unreadable expression. 

How had he forgotten such an experience? How could he have let go of a memory so precious? Yugioh fumbled up to his light, drowning him in a kiss. 

Yuugi put his hands beside their lips, pulling them apart just slightly. "What had it been, darkness?" 

The pharaoh closed his eyes, resting his forehead against Yuugi's. "The first night we made love."

Yuugi smiled in fond memory. "Told you." 

Yugioh laughed softly. "By the gods, I'm going to go in that one more frequently." 

Yuugi laughed harder. "Dirty pharaoh." He frowned suddenly. "There are many, though, that are not quite so pleasant." 

Yugioh nodded, looking up past Yuugi's shoulder. A door the color of silver spattered with blood greeted him. "Then I best get them out of the way." He let go of Yuugi and walked straight for it.

Yuugi looked around, his eyes growing wide. "No, not that one yet!" 

It was too late, his darkness had already turned the blood-stained knob. 

Darkness was swirling around him on all sides. He was watching through another's eyes as he starred across the dueling platform, a wicked man with silver hair starring at him with an insane glee. "Go, my monster, attack!" 

In a sudden flash, he felt the taxing strain of sustaining a duel monster in the shadow realm, and then he felt the sudden attack as it was destroyed. He felt Yuugi's body topple onto his dueling cards, his energy spent. 

Half of himself it felt had been ripped from the shreds of his tattered, dark soul. He couldn't feel that sweet, soft presence next to him. "Yuugi," he tried, crumbling to his knees and shaking the prone spiritual form. "Yuugi, no, please, he can't be gone!" 

"Well, well, so you do have feelings for the little runt. How touching." 

Tears pricked at his eyes as the chillingly sweet voice sliced through his system. "Pegasus," he cried, standing up and facing the evil man. "You will pay for this!" 

Oh, but how the battle dragged on. How empty he felt without Yuugi by his side, his trust only barely re-established. 

Tears streamed out of Yugioh's eyes as he stumbled back into his memory hall, seeing the sorrowful look that lay across his light's beautiful face. "That one was always hard for you," Yuugi whispered. "I don't even think Battle City had you more torn than the events that transpired in Duelist Kingdom." 

"Will all of them be this hard?" Yugioh asked. 

Yuugi shook his head. "There are about as many bad as there are good. I think that this one was the hardest. Why don't we end with a good one for tonight, then move on to some more tomorrow?" 

His darkness gave a nod. 

Yuugi looked to his right, seeing a bright yellow one with a white trim. "Try that one, yami. That should be a good one." 

Stepping in front of it, Yugioh took a deep breath as he turned the knob. 

Bright sunlight streamed in through a glass window. There was some laughing from the back storage room, him turning to see Yuugi running past with a parcel in his hands. 

"Yuugi, bring that back! I've got rare cards that I ordered in that box!" 

He was sitting at the cash register as Yuugi flew past, his grandfather trying to chase him. "I just wanna look, Ji-chan! Promise!" 

"Yami! Catch him!" Sugoroku wailed, trying to vainly to catch up. 

Smiling, he jumped the glass counter, cornering his panting light as he protectively held the box to his chest. "You can't have it," he chuckled. 

He gave a wan smile. "Whoever said I was asking for it?" 

Yuugi's eyes grew wide in surprise, barely able to move in time when his yami made a dive for him. He caught him by the legs. "biAw!" the spirit cried. "Get back here!" 

"No! No! Mine!!" Yuugi laughed as he kicked his legs to move, his attempts to crawl across the floor not working. 

He wormed his way on top of his light, wrapping himself around the small form tightly. Snatching the box from Yuugi's hands, he tossed it to the other side of the room. 

"Yami!" 

He nuzzled his face into Yuugi's cheek. "biAw," he whispered. 

Yuugi blushed, pouting. "I just wanted to look. Besides, I heard there was some really good dragon curses in that box, some that might even be able to defeat Kaiba faster." 

He blinked for a moment, picking up Yuugi then slinging him over his shoulder. Picking up the box in time, the spirit was able to turn around just in time to see Sugoroku gaping at him. He grinned. "Toodles," then was out the door. 

"Yami! Give me that box back!" 

The two laughed the rest of the way down the street. 

Yugioh blinked as he looked back at Yuugi. He smiled. 

"Good memory?" 

"Hai. Good memory." Hugging, the two allowed themselves to be brought back to reality, the confines of their bedchambers suddenly greeting their vision. 

Yugioh gave his light a kiss goodnight, closing his eyes for rest and missing the dark shadow at his balcony, slowly moving ever closer to the royal bed. 

~ * ~


	13. Bloods Alike

****

Note to the readers- Okay, this chapter is going to be quite angsty, and made even a little graphic at times. However, I need something cataclysmic in order to re-establish the bond. Enjoy, be scared, have suspense, and, above, all, enjoy. -**A note to the readers**

Seth heard the scream half way down the palace. He had currently been standing in the throne room, wondering where on earth the pharaoh and his _Light_ could be, when the whole world seemed to come crashing to an immediate halt. 

People began running about frantically, all in the same direction. 

The Pharaoh's Royal Chambers. 

Gasping for air, the high priest ran the entire length of the outer hall, slipping past fumbling servants and babbling guards. Nothing of what they were saying was coherent. At least, not that Seth could tell. The usual ten minute walk turned into a five minute run. If only he could move a little faster. 

As if his prayer to Hathor had been answered, the royal oaken doors came into full view, surrounded by people. 

He ran up to one of the guards that was trying to calm down a sobbing servant girl. "What happened," he questioned loudly over the commotion. 

"I didn't do it," the girl sobbed. "I went in to put some linen away, and I…I…I almost ran into…." Her voice cracked, and she fell into another fit of sobs. 

"You…you might want to go take a look, sire," the guard mumbled. What could have possibly gone wrong? 

Seth finally noticed something, as he turned towards the door. No one…not _anyone_, was looking directly inside. 

Gathering his wits about him, Seth stepped forward, intent on finding out just what happened. 

A wall, it seemed, of white specked with red met his vision. 

He gasped, covering his mouth when he realized just what he was looking at. He stifled a scream himself. 

Yuugi's small body was hanging from the ceiling. Chains had been attached to the ornate ceiling, the young man's hands shackled to the ends. His head was hanging limply down, blood pooling down around him. 

Seth almost wanted to cry as a drop of crimson liquid fell from the end of his toe to the floor. 

Gods. He was covered in blood. Everywhere. Was he still alive? He certainly didn't look like it. 

Stepping past the pools of blood that were still steaming, Seth reached up a tentative hand to the neck. 

He was surprised and overjoyed all at once. The blood was still pumping, but weakly. He fought to find his voice. "Get the healers! Quickly! Guards, get him down!!!" 

Those who were not weeping on the floor sped into action, scurrying for almost any excuse to get away from that room. 

Seth looked around, noticing that some people had already released the contents of their stomachs from breakfast. 

Wait…where was Yugioh? He looked over at the bed, finding it devoid of any people. Just…just a blood stained puzzle, broken in shards across the blankets. 

Gods. 

No…wait…there was more. Red? More of it? 

The high priest walked to the far side of the bed, finding blood. Lots and lots of blood. Seth wanted to puke himself when he realized that there was enough of the vital fluid to fill three large bowls. 

Yugioh had put up a fight. There were signs of the struggle everywhere. Blood on the walls, blood smeared across the floor. In fact…Seth followed it all the way to the balcony, where there were hand prints, making like they were clinging to the railing in one last desperate attempt to fight back. 

The trail ended. The pharaoh was gone. 

Moaning behind him snapped him back to attention. The healers were working furiously on Yuugi, and it appeared that he was barely beginning to wake up. "Get him out of here," Seth snapped. "He doesn't need to see all of this. Now!" 

Twelve people helped to pick up Yuugi's limp form and they hurried out of there, relieved to be going and yet contorted with panic and despair. 

Seth winced when he heard Yuugi cry out in pain. 

~ * ~ 

The high priest walked vigorously back and forth, uncomprehending of what was truly going on at the moment. It all seemed so surreal. How could such a thing have happened? _Why_ would they want to hurt Yuugi, of all people? 

The bed in the small room he was in made a ruffling sound, alerting him that the occupant was slowly starting to come-to. 

The healers and worked to heal Yuugi with all of their power, taking up the better part of the day and well into the night. The moon was up high now. Full, if he could still see it correctly. 

He doubted he could see anything correctly any more. 

"S…Seto?" Yuugi coughed as he tried to speak. 

Seth frowned. "I'm here, Yuugi." 

The young man struggled to sit up in the bed, looking lost. "Pharaoh." He turned his large violet eyes up to the priest. "Where pharaoh?" 

He couldn't speak that much to them anymore now that the puzzle had been shattered. Seth shook his head sadly. 

Yuugi appeared heart-broken. "Iie," he cracked. "Iie." He shook his head, his back beginning to heave with sobs. "Iie! Kare ga shitemoyoi de nai desu achira e imasu! Iie!" He screamed, hiding his head in his arms. (He can't be gone!)

He cried. Hard, desolate tears. 

"Kare ga shitemoyoi de nai," he muttered feebly. (He can't be…)

Carefully, and with nimble hands, Seth laid out the broken pieces in front of him, cleaned of all traces of what happened to night before, and shining like new.

"Assemble," Seth said, hoping that he would understand. 

Yuugi turned shining eyes over the pieces, looking at them like it was the first time he'd ever seen them. 

Picking one up, he winced when it felt cold. Yami was…no. No, he was alright. And he _would_ be found. He _must!_

With a renewed determination, Yuugi began to put the pieces back together, one by one by one. If he could assemble it in but a few minutes in that burning fire in the warehouse, then he could put it together here, too. He wasn't going to stop until it was complete. 

~ * ~

Tekutet was silent as he stood next to the palace doors, the somber mood in the air tangible and crushing. 

"What are you thinking about," Bebetu asked, absentmindedly cleaning the edge of his sword. 

Tekutet shook his head. "No thinking. Just questions. I can't believe that someone would be able to do that to the pharaoh and the _light_ all in one evening." 

His partner scowled, kicking his foot against the stone floor. "If I could get out of here, I'd skin them alive." 

"If you could find them," the guard retorted. 

Bebetu frowned hard. "Only the gods know where the pharaoh is now…he could be anywhere you realize. Someone with the power to do so much harm…the power to move great distances as well." 

"Let's hope otherwise," Tekutet said, silently thanking Isis that at least his family was still unharmed. 

They turned their heads when a strange commotion sounded behind them. "Now who could be making trouble a this ungodly hour," Bebetu sneered, thirsty for some revengeful blood-shed. 

"Sire…no!" someone shouted, pounding their way up the hall. 

"I will only ask you to not argue with me once. I will not listen to this!" 

Tekutet felt his jaw go momentarily slack when he saw just who was coming their way. 

It couldn't be. So soon? 

Yuugi came purposefully down the hall, the puzzle dangling from his neck, all reassembled and in one piece again. Seth was behind him, practically screeching at him to stop. "You need more time to heal!" 

Yuugi whirled around, angered. "And give my darkness more time to die!? I'm going to find him, with or without help!" 

Bebetu starred transfixed as Yuugi stomped past, sporting more still-healing scars on his body that an interrogated prisoner. If he was in pain, he was hiding it well. The puzzle was flashing menacingly as he went down the first flight of steps. It appeared that a horse was waiting for him below, with a stable-boy standing with it. 

"You can't go out alone," Seth started again. "Especially at this time of night! Wait till morning, let a troop of soldiers go with you," he tried to reason. 

"The guards will be better served here," Yuugi stated firmly. "With what I'll be dealing with, they would only get in the way." 

He swiftly mounted the glimmering black stallion, a strange fire burning up his eyes. There was no reasoning with him at the moment. 

"Hya!" Yuugi bellowed, giving the horse a firm kick to its stomach to make it go. It ran off with a hearty whinny as it headed down the steps, leaping down them four to five at a time. 

Bebetu and Tekutet gazed onward at their retreating ruler, shocked. "Is…is…" Tekutet stuttered. 

"Is he going to come back alive?" Seth asked. He shook his head sadly. "I have no idea." 

~ * ~

Yuugi raced down the city streets, his head bent low and his determination fierce. He had to find Yami. There wasn't any way around it. He _had_ to. He was the only one that could. 

The puzzle could no longer tell where Yami's presence was, but Yuugi had the Shadows to guide him to wherever is his darkness was. And, if he was correct, it actually wasn't too far away. The scum that he was after was relatively close to the city, and if the images the Shadows were trying to send to him were accurate, it was an oasis that was not too far off. 

By the gods, he had to be okay. If something happened…anything…Yuugi felt as if his heart would shatter just as the puzzle had. 

The horse he was ridding was an Arabian. Small, lithe, and very, _very_ fast. He could do this. He could find his darkness and save him. 

…It was so strange. Never had he been the savior before. That was always Yami's job. _He_ was the one that was always running around and saving not only him, but his friends as well. 

Yuugi almost smiled when he thought about it. Yami had saved his friends so many times to win his trust and affections. It was all for him. It always had been.

People rushed to get out of the way of the swiftly-moving horse as he pelted their way, wanting more than anything to get the journey over with. If he could just get out of the city, he would only a couple of minutes left until he was where his darkness supposedly was being held. 

Finally! The city gates whirred past, and he was out in the endless stretches of sands and sky. 

A cold breeze whipped into his marred face, bruising his tender cheeks. The Egyptian nights truly _were_ cold. Of course, he never realized before, being that his darkness was always with him…

__

Hold on, love, I'm on my way… 

A palm tree came into view. The oasis! There it was! The horse bounded up next to it, stopping just short of entering the small grassy area completely. 

There was nothing there. Absolutely nothing. What was he missing? 

Another cold breeze blew past. 

__

Uncover…

Yuugi turned his head around confused. Uncover? Uncover what? 

__

Hiding… 

His breath caught in is throat when he realized. The Shadows were trying to talk to him. They were trying to tell him what to do. Uncover…

Holding the puzzle in one hand, he charged the horse forth. _Shatter and reveal…_

Sparks and hooves crashed into an invisible barrier, shards of gray spraying around him. 

It _was_ there. It had just been covered by magic somehow, concealing a stone building in the middle of a convenient oasis. 

He urged the horse to go in, using the puzzle as a light in the rather dark room that he was entering. 

He wanted to puke. He had to. He wanted to scream, but his voice became suddenly frozen. He wanted to kill something, but his muscles simply wouldn't move. He wanted to die, but the Shadows stood firmly against it. 

His darkness was here. This fact was, indeed, indisputable. However…it didn't mean that he was _here_. 

He had been stripped naked, his skin gouged out in many areas. There wasn't a spot of skin on his body that wasn't covered in blood. But what was worse…

His neck was bound by a rope, hanging high up from the ceiling. 

Too shocked to move, Yuugi couldn't tear his eyes away as the horse began to step closer. How had they done this to him? Did not he still have his powers? Where did all of his magic go? 

The closer he got, the more he could see that the pharaoh's hands were not truly limp by his sides. It looked like they were resting against something…an invisible table suspended in the air right beside him. 

Suddenly he saw it. The one wretched thing that had weakened his darkness. There was a spell-binding circle around his waist. It looked like gold spun in the air, and Yuugi knew from his duels that it weakened an opposing monster's attack points. 

__

Every time he used energy, he became weaker. 

The stallion walked right up next to the body, forcing Yuugi to look at it closely. Why was the horse doing this?! 

In his anger, Yuugi grabbed at the gold writings and twisted at them with his bare hands, screaming. _Taken from me again…for the last and final time. _

It crumbled into nothingness before his very eyes. 

One of the shards of gold went right through the rope, and the stallion steadied himself when the body tumbled onto his back, right onto Yuugi. 

Allowing his tears to run down as they pleased, Yuugi brought the body up to cradle it, wiping away with infinite care the blood that was staining his darkness's face. Yami's mouth was partway open, a trickle of blood coming forth. 

Yuugi placed his hand under the broken neck, supporting it with care. The blood still continued to pour out of numerous wounds. 

Yuugi thought back to something he had read somewhere…what had it been? 

__

The dead do not bleed. 

Yami was bleeding…he was bleeding! He was alive! Was he? 

Frantic, Yuugi placed an ear next to Yami's mouth, hearing the faint sounds of oxygen being breathed in and out. 

His eyes widened. He felt the very weak pulse on the neck…and his bones felt rather in tact…

The rope hadn't caught him just right, so his neck didn't snap. If anything, he would have suffocated by morning…but he was alive! Alive! 

Yuugi smiled, wanting to scream out with joy rather than in anguish. 

The horse neighed quietly, slowly backing out of the room. The young man was suddenly brought back to attention. Yami's kidnappers were still here…

The Shadows became furious, lashing out at everything else in the room. Yuugi sat still, holding on to his beloved darkness. "_I know you're hear,_" he hissed. "_As much as I don't believe in killing, the Shadow Realm will not let you out of here alive._" 

The stallion turned sharply and left, running down the dunes of sand when a distant scream barely hit his ears. 

__

Funny, Yuugi thought to himself. _Grandpa always said that the Arabian horses he rode were so dingy. Must not have had the four thousand years of inbreeding, I suppose…_

~ * ~ 

Hasina sat quietly on the palace steps, clutching a blanket close to her. The pharaoh stolen, the _light_ gone…how much more could the city take? She had only meant to put the linens away that morning…she hadn't meant to cause any trouble. 

She knew that it wasn't her fault what happened, but she still felt guilty being the one to find it. Not to mention traumatized. 

There were noises in the streets. Looking, she saw that people were screaming about something, sounds of cheers or gasps or…something...drifted over her way. 

A cloud of dust was being kicked up, steadily moving towards the palace steps. Could it be? So soon? 

A head of spiky hair on a gallant black stallion charged up her way, Yuugi not even stopping up the large steps that led to the palace. In fact, she was quite surprise when she saw him plow right on through the doors, right into the main hall, still on horse-back. They skidded to a halt. 

"Healers, quickly," Yuugi shouted. "Please, you must hurry!" 

Hasina could see that the _light_ no longer had on a cloak for the cold night air, but instead had the white material wrapped around another body in his arms, red seeping through here and there. 

__

The pharaoh… 

He'd brought him back after all. 

The high priest came in bewildered. "He's…alive?" He was looking scrupulously at the blood-covered face. 

"Barely," Yuugi choked. "He needs medical attention, quickly." There were tears streaming down his face. 

Seth nodded, another dozen guards coming up to help get the pharaoh down off the horse as the green-clad healers raced up to meet them. Thank the gods that they still had magical abilities that could speed that healing process. In this instance, every second counted. 

The young servant girl breathed out a sigh. They were back…and they were alive. Perhaps all would be well after all? 

Yuugi got off the horse, giving it a large hug around the neck. "I want a good spot for him," he stated. "I've never seen a horse like this one. If he has no particular owner, I would like to keep him." 

"I would be more than happy to give him to you, sire," a guard spoke up. 

Yuugi smiled, falling to his knees in exhaustion. "Thank you, Bebetu." 

Four or five people ran up to him, helping him to his feet. "We'll take you to your bedchambers, sire. They've been completely cleaned." 

Yuugi shook his head tiredly. "Take me to my darkness," he asked, his eyes suddenly falling closed before he could catch them. 

Seth nodded his head, following the healers who had already left with their cargo.

~ * ~

*squints* Please don't hurt me. Please? I can't help being a bit angst sometimes. If any of you read 'The Good Child,' you know what I mean. I promise though, nothing like this is going to happen again. It's _all_ fluff scenes from here on out. Promise. Promise, really, I do! 


	14. Linen and Sunlight

****

Gemini

Deep crimson eyes blinked open in the dreary haze of sunlight, a yawn escaping from honey-kissed lips. 

Yugioh felt a warm touch around his chest, and noticed Yuugi soundly sleeping, and arm draped over his darkness. The pharaoh frowned at the welts that were present, marring his delicate alabaster face. The things they had gone through…

He turned from his back to his side, wrapping his arms firmly around his light. He winced when Yuugi hissed in his sleep, the wounds he managed to touch aching and sore. A sudden rage began to boil inside of him, and Yugioh wanted to slaughter the ones who had hurt his lover. 

Yuugi moaned as he awoke, blinking owlishly up at his yami. Sleep and confusion whirled around in his violet orbs until he could get his mind to awaken and focus. Yugioh saw his eyes water, a sense of gratitude washing over him. 

__

Thank the gods you're alive… 

Yuugi tried to speak, but every attempt fell dead at his lips. 

The pharaoh frowned even harder, noting just how drained Yuugi seemed…how he _felt_… he seemed but a fragile piece of glass cradled in his arms. 

He gave him a delicate kiss, caressing his silky hair with affection. "I'm all right now beloved. Rest now. Restore your strength." 

Yuugi shook his head, hiding in Yugioh's chest. _Such a strain it had been…I've never enveloped the Shadows so closely before…_

Had Yuugi whispered into his ear? 

"Hush…it's all right now." 

Yuugi's body shook for a moment, and something wet fell against the pharaoh's chest as he cried. _I missed you. I thought that I had lost you for good. It almost broke me, my darkness, seeing you so near to death. You nearly lost me too…_

A sadness the likes of which he had never felt bombarded his senses, and Yugioh felt himself reeling. 

It…he…could it have…? 

Pressing his face against Yuugi's head, he cupped Yuugi's cheek and closed his eyes, concentrating. _Can you here me love?_

Yuugi's head slowly moved upward, meeting his yami's intense gaze. Curious, tentative tendrils reached out and touched Yugioh's concsious, probing for assurance. 

Unsurpassed love and passion exploded between the two, and the pharaoh's light suddenly cried out in sheer joy. 

__

Gods, it's back! It's truly back! We have our bond again! Yuugi gave a mixture between a laugh and cry, hugging Yugioh furiously. 

It felt so oddly strange, and yet somehow familiar sensing the feelings and thoughts of another, and the pharaoh felt himself falling into the melodic trance with unpracticed ease. A small smile graced his lips. 

__

It's back, beloved. For ever. 

Yuugi pulled his yami closer. _Who attacked us, beloved? Who wanted so badly to hurt us?_

Yugioh snarled. _The cannibals just outside our borders. How they managed to sneak inside of the palace, I have yet to figure out. Nor have I deciphered how they disabled me, either._

Yuugi sighed into his chest. _It was a spell-binding circle. That was how they made you so weak. Every time you used energy, the more drained you became._

__

I will destroy every single one of them for hurting you, Yugioh promised. 

__

There's no need. The shadows have already delt with them. I doubt there's a scrap of bone left of them now. He paused for a moment, sorting his thoughts. _The shadows were just so **angry**. I've never felt so much anger before…It shook and rattled me to the core…I have so little energy at the moment._

Yugioh felt him drifting off to sleep again, and sent as many comforting thoughts as he could muster. _Sleep now, beloved. There are no more threats._

~ * ~

Two weeks had passed since that awful event, and the two rulers had healed quite well, allowing them to go back to their daily royal duties. 

Every evening the two spent with the horse that had helped to save the pharaoh, and Yuugi had insisted on calling it _Yuki_. 

__

'Trust me', Yuugi had said, _'It fits him perfectly._' 

At the moment, however, Yugioh was in the throne room, looking over an execution paper that had been set before him. Another thief, it seemed, had been captured, this one having stolen a prodigiously large amount of gold and jewels. 

Most of the council members were making a point to keep their distance from him that day. Yugioh's temper was flaring, and he wanted nothing more than a way to release his frustration. 

As it so turned out, he was being pressured yet again to produce an heir, and he had no intention of wanting to do so. 

But the problem still remained…who would take over the throne when him and Yuugi were gone? If there was a magic spell Or incantation that could create a child for him, he had yet to find it. 

Just as he was about to write his signature for the execution, Yuugi peered over his shoulder, looking at the papyrus with a mischievous glint in his eyes. 

Yugioh suddenly found the papyrus in front of him missing, a giggling _light_ fleeing down the halls. 

"Yuugi, bring that back!" he snarled, chasing after him angrily as he watched the chance to release some frustration slipping past his sight down the halls. 

One of the councilmen winced, hoping that Yuugi wasn't going to be receiving a wrath that all of them feared. 

~ * ~ 

Ateme hummed softly to herself, allowing the wool in her hands to spin down into a thin thread, weaving itself further onto the spindle. Spinning had always been relaxing for her. She preferred it to the loom any day of the week. 

The other girls in the weaving room where laughing with each other, folding freshly made linens and assorting rare and expensive dyes for the pharaoh's robes. 

"Did you here," the girl next to her stated vehemently. "_Both_ of the Twin Rulers refuse to look for wives! They won't have an heir! Who will take over the throne?" 

"Personally, I think it should stay that way," another woman said, weighed down with the robes she was mending for some of the guards. "I've seen those two smitten with each other, and it's the most adorable thing I've ever seen. I think that even a mid-wife would get in the way." 

Voices lifted slightly in affirmation. 

Egyptian sunlight alighted the whole room in a warm afternoon glow, perfumes for the materials being crafted creating a sleepy haze. 

The door creaked open, and as every head in the room turned, jaws dropped slack. 

__

The Light in the weaving room? 

Ateme saw the _Light_ poke his head inside cautiously, looking around quickly before walking in. 

Yuugi looked around curiously, never before realizing that the palace had any kind of weaving or lined room that housed all of the workers for it. The tools they were using fascinated him, and he noticed that movie portrayals of such activities from the ancient past were highly off. This looked nothing like a sweat-shop. 

His eyes locked onto Ateme, and he walked over carefully, allowing the door to close softly behind him. He pointed to her spindle and thread. "May I?" he asked politely. 

Ateme was dumbfounded, numbly handing over her materials as he sat down next to her on a spare chair. 

Yuugi had only ever read in history books about the old way thread and twine used to be made. Before there were even spinning wheels women used something that looked like giant spin-top that children would often play with from his own time. He always had a hard time believing that the simple little tool could pull wool into such a fine thread. 

He held the part thread-part wool in his hand carefully, watching with awe when the young girl twisted the spindle, allowing it to spin freely above the floor. 

Ateme was yet again amazed as she watched him smile, getting a strong hold for the knack of spinning quite quickly. 

"There you are!" Yugioh barked into the room, pointing at his lighter half. 

Ateme froze along with all of the other women, whilst Yuugi on the other hand gave a playful 'eep!' and darted up, starting around the room. 

"Get back here!" Yugioh yelled, giving way to chase. Yuugi laughed maniacally as he ran about, jumping over piles of folded linen. The dust danced out of their way as it glinted in the streaming sunlight, Yugioh's deep red robe billowing out behind him. 

Yuugi yelped as he tripped over a basket full of cloth, spilling the white contents all over him as Yugioh followed suite. 

Every woman in the room watched transfixed as the two became massively tangled, two heads eventually popping up and panting for breath. 

Yuugi smiled as he looked at his darkness, breathless and flushed. Yugioh looked pointedly at him and snarled, clearly annoyed that his previous task at hand had been interrupted.

Grabbing a linen sheet that he had not yet been entrapped in, Yuugi wrapped it around the pharaoh, brought him in close, and gave him a deep, passionate kiss. 

The moment Yuugi backed away, Yugioh saw him smiling widely. The pharaoh, however, was bound and determined to get that paper back. Getting ready to pounce, the pharaoh suddenly found himself wrapped up like a mummy, his arms bound to his sides. 

Yuugi had wrapped the linen around him, making him unable to move. "Let me go," he growled. 

Yuugi smiled and went to stand, suddenly falling over himself. He looked up shocked, noticing only now that his devious little darkness had wrapped a linen strip around his legs. Yugioh smirked in accomplishment. 

Pouting, Yuugi turned his head to the side, folding his arms. Mach hurt was written all over his face. 

Yugioh sighed, giving in to the little game that his light had begun, knowing exactly what it was Yuugi was waiting for. He was silent for a moment, suddenly realizing just how much he had been over-reacting. And yet Yuugi was not angry with him. "Gomen ne, aibou. I won't sign the execution sheet." 

Yuugi looked at him out of the corner of his eye, unable to stop the smile that split across his face. Hugging his yami tightly, he undid his ingenious bindings around the pharaoh. 

Yugioh in turn unbound his light, holding his hand out expectantly. "Give it back," he replied. 

Yuugi did so, giving his darkness a playful kiss in the process. Laughing after they broke apart, Yugioh picked him up after wrapping him in another sheet of linen. "Little imp," he growled, heading out of the room. 

"It works," Yuugi replied back, his feral grin never leaving his face. 

Ateme stood and walked over to the mess that had been left behind, bending down to fold the linen back the way they were before hand. 

"Such a mess they left behind," an older woman observed softly, a smile gracing her aged face. 

"This is one disaster I don't mind cleaning up," Ateme replied, folding the cloth with infinite care. 

~ * ~ 

*Sighs* Gomen ne, myself. I know that I always apologize for late updates, but homework and school sure to know how to pop up in the most inconvenient times. Hope you enjoyed. Fluffy enough? I sure hope so! 


End file.
